Can't You Hear The Bells?
by Milley02
Summary: A bus to Spaceland turns south when it's hijacked, and after seeing Ryuk the shinigami, one of the passengers realizes she's in the world of Death Note. She must decide what to do next - will she fight Kira? But does she even want to 'save' the world? OC Insert. Probably AU.
1. The Sound of Bells

**A/N: Yeah, I know, another drabble... or is it? Anyway, this has been bugging me for a while - since before The Crash, as it will now be referred to (see my profile for explanation) - why didn't someone use this as an opener for an OC? It's perfect.**

**Plus, it gives the OC reason for wanting to worm their way onto the Task Force.**

_**WARNING: liberal swearing, etc.**_

**Also, you might want to have the first Death Note soundtrack for this - it makes it sound pretty epic if you time it right...**

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><p><em>Chapter 1 - The Sound of Bells<em>

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><p><em>"The bells, Light-san".<em>

_L stood to the left, tinged blue._

_"What bells, Ryuuzaki?"._

_Yagami Light stood to the right, tinged red._

_A huge pendulum swung back and worth between them._

_The picture faded and flashed in and out sight, static buzzing in the background._

_It was like crappy reception on an old analog television set._

_I stood off to the side, watching them. I could hear music from the Death Note soundtrack playing in the background - no. 20, 'Kyrie', I think._

_Then, all of a sudden, I had the urge to look at my hand, so I brought it up infront of my face._

_Purple. I was tinged purple._

_...** why** am I purple?_

_Shaking my head, I noticed the soundtrack was trailing off, so I looked back at the two - to see them staring at me._

_Why are they...? They never did this before._

_"It's seems the 'game' has just begun, L", Light said._

_"Indeed, Kira", L agreed._

_"A third player has joined this battle royale"._

_... wait, **WHAT?**_  
><em>~End Dream~<em>

My eyelids snapped open and I stared at the ceiling for a second before looking around my room in a slight panic.

I was still in my room and everything was right where it should be. I sighed in relief.

"It was just a dream", I breathed.

I don't really know why I said that out loud. I guess it just felt more like the truth that way.

Books covered just about every free flat surface in my room; the genres ranging from a book about 'feng shui' to spy thrillers, and then there was my manga and anime collection.

It was something I was quite proud of, to say the least. I had the biggest hard-copy, legit collection out of all of my friends - but my favourite, as you've probably already guessed, is _Death Note._

"Damn, dreams...", I grumbled as I rolled over to check the time on my alarm clock, rubbing the sleep from one eye.

_8:58_

"Oh, _Fudge_!"

I slept in! _Wait_ - there's another bus in 10 minutes! But I barely have time to make it to the bus stop!

Quickly, I threw on my favourite blue jeans, a purple t-shirt with Twitter-like birds on it, my dark violet suede jacket and slapped on my beanie newsboy hat as slung my brown leather satchel over my head and on my shoulder.

Running into the kitchen, I grabbed a couple of apples from the food bowl and yelled,"Jackie! I need a ride to the bus stop!", before taking a bite out of one, and shoving my wallet in my pocket with my other hand.

"I figured you would", my sister replied, as she walked into the kitchen, still at home at 9AM in the morning.

So my sister thinks I'm predictable... let's just let her have her moment, shall we? I don't have the time to argue!

Ever since I'd moved in with my sister, everything had been great. I mean, she lives in Japan! And that's a half a world away from my parents, by the way - as well as being that much closer to_ Akihabara_ (also known as the _**otaku haven, Akiba**_!).

Which is where I would've been catching a train to this morning if I hadn't been called in to work _on a weekend._

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><p>It was over.<em> Finally.<em>

Noriyuki-sensei had been red in the face when I showed up two hours late. Damn alarm clock, I really need to replace it... but it's all his fault we all have to come in on a saturday! What the _hell_ is up with that?

Anyway, so the Professor had given me a hard time all day, meaning instead of starting the lab work - like I was _supposed_ to being doing today - he confined me to the office to take care of the paperwork.

Michael got to be in the lab - _the fucking stuck up douchebag_ who for some reason thinks that because he's french, he's suave and basically 'god's gift to women'. Mind you, the dumbass flirts with anything that moves...

However, much to the Professor's disappointment, I finished the paperwork sometime around noon. But instead of letting me atleast help Michael - he kicked me out of the lab entirely, saying he didn't want to see me back until Monday morning. On time.

Man! He wasted my whole potential weekend in_ Akiba_ - **_Otaku haven_** - to do three hours of paperwork?

_Arsehole._

Maybe this trip to Spaceland will cheer me up, plus Miyaka - my other co-worker, who isn't forced to come in on the weekend because she was only part-time - is meeting me there, so it should be some fun atleast...

Quickly swiping my bus pass, I took a seat in the middle of the bus across from the centre doors, like I usually did.

I sighed, leaning on the window sill as the bus started down it's route again, staring out at the passing buildings. The bus stopped a few more times, letting on some more passengers - including some guy who looked american.

Oooooh, that reminds me of Karate Kid. Maybe I should call Miyaka and we could have lunch at Miyagi's first?

As the bus went over the bridge, I took out my metallic purple flip phone from my pocket and started scrolling through my contact list for her number.

Suddenly, a chill swept through me and I froze. Thumb paused over the call button, mouth hanging open and voice stuck in my throat.

It wasn't just a normal chill either. I mean, considering the time of the year, I know it was supposed to be getting a bit cold about now. But, no... it just felt _different_, you know?

Frowning, I quickly sent Miyaka a text message instead, before slumping back into my seat as I tried to figure out what _'it'_ was, glancing warily around the bus as I did.

Noticing nothing really suspicious, hell even the three passengers from the last stop who had taken seats at the back, looked normal enough. I sighed slightly relieved.

_But the feeling didn't go away._

I even jumped as my phone buzzed, announcing the receival of a text message.

It was Miyaka. She was only a few blocks away from the Higashiguchi bus stop, so I'd just get off there and we'd go to Miyagi's on her motorbike. I love Miyagi's - honestly, my sister and I would probably starve if it wasn't for that old man and his Chinese takeaway. Either that, or get fat on all the anime-themed sweets I make.

I turned my attention back to the front as the bus pulled into another stop. Stop number nine, Higashiguchi.

Smiling at being able to get away from feeling _and_ getting to eat at Miyagi's, I waited until the bus came to a complete stop, before slinging my brown leather satchel over my shoulder and glancing towards the front of the bus as the doors hissed open.

Halfway out of my seat, I froze. That guy... the one who'd just got on the bus, half bald and wearing a dark brown hoodie and jeans, hands stuffed in his pockets.

I narrowed my eyes at the bulge in the guy's jacket pocket.

So preoccupied, I didn't realize the bus had started moving again, making me fall a little back into my seat, then the guy drew the item that caused the bulge, out, and pointed it at the bus driver's head.

It was a handgun.

"This bus has been hijacked!", the man announced.

The hijacker told the bus driver to call Spaceland and tell them what was happening, then get a woman to take all the receipts from yesterday to a stop a couple before the place - threatening to kill everyone on board if they called the police or didn't listen to his demands. Then he smashed the phone.

I froze as the realization finally struck me.

He had just quoted the episode 4 bus-hijacking perfectly - and then there was those three in back, maybe...

A piece of paper suddenly rebounded off the back of my head, and I scowled for a second before suddenly the feeling from before intensified a thousand-fold_ and my fucking god there is a fucking shinigami hovering two rows back!_

No way.

There's just no _fucking_ way...

**_... I'm somehow in the fucking Death Note anime._**

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><p><em>Chapter End<em>

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><p><strong>AN: Part 2 will be up soon, then that's it. Unless someone reviews and tells me to continue~!**


	2. Shinigami Are Real

**A/N: Here's part 2 - and like I said, I'll probably continue this, but I want atleast one person to review first.**

_**WARNING: general horror, OC mental scarring, gore, death, more liberal swearing, etc.**_

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><p><em>Chapter 2 - Shinigami Are Real<em>

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><p>I hadn't moved since I saw the shinigami- <em>no<em>, Ryuk. It was definetly Ryuk.

Which means_ fucking Kira is on the bus_.

_Fuck_, I'm in the shit.

Okay, just calm down. Start_ breathing_ again, girl.

No need to draw attention to yourself by hyperventilating.

That would bad- _fucking understatement of the year._

After a few minutes, I managed to get my breathing under control, and realized Light was probably now talking with the FBI agent that was tailing him.

I remembered his name..._ Ray Penber._

I glanced over my shoulder- shit, I'm too late. He's already showing him his badge and ID.

Naomi, I'm sorry I was too preoccupied with freaking out about a god of death standing two _fucking_ feet away to help your fiance.

And I'm really not being sarcastic, by the way. I just freaked out a little again when my thoughts drifted to the _fucking shinigami hovering right there._

... see? I did it again...

Anyway... so! Osoreda Kiichiro, what do I remember about him? Les see... drug addiction, triple homicide, attempted bank robbery... damn, he's been busy- _shit!_ He's seen Ryuk!

He started yelling at the shinigami, and then Ray was telling everyone to get down as he reached for his gun. I ducked down too, my mind racing.

_Damn it! This is all going too damn fast!_

And it's too late to save them. Both Osoreda and Ray.

_Fucking, damn it!_

Ryuk started walking towards the bus-jacker.

"Stay back!", Osoreda yelled, and started firing off shots. But they just phased through the shinigami like he wasn't even there.

Of course they would,_ because he's a god of death._

In his fear, Osoreda unthinkingly emptied the rest of the clip, the bullets only succeeding in smashing open the bus's back window as they were completely harmless to a shinigami.

Then suddenly, Ray was up and running at him, and Osoreda ran away, grabbing the bus driver and begging him to let him off.

Jerked from my seat by the sudden stop - without thinking, I was pushing my way ahead of a protesting Ray and dashed down the aisle. Fully aware that I was too late, that he was already under the influence of the Death Note, and, therefore, already dead.

But I didn't care. I didn't know what the _fuck_ I was trying to do, but my body wouldn't let me just sit and do nothing. It wouldn't let me just sit and watch.

"_Wait-!_", I yelled, half hanging from the door as Osoreda fell out of the bus and onto the road in a terrorfied heap, my outstretched hand having just missed his sleeve.

_NO!_

The screeching of a car filled my ears and I felt someone grab a hold of my jacket and yank me back inside as blood splattered the road, me, and the side of the bus.

Legs half hanging out of the bus, I stared at the mangled mess of bloody limbs, side and face that was pulverized on impact from the car, blood dripping down off my face, the liquid splattered across the front of my clothes and hair.

That used to be someone. _A fucking person_.

But I just stared, eyes wide and face pale, silent. Even as Ray shook my shoulders, asking me if I was alright.

_In that moment, I could hear the distant sound of church bells ringing in my ears._

"There is a fucking _dead_ person right there - _of course I'm not fucking alright!_", I snapped.

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><p><em>Chapter End<em>

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><p><strong>AN: Nice dose of reality, yes? Please, do tell me what you think... even if it's just a couple of lines.**

**As always, please remember to Author Alert/Fav, Story Alert/Fave, and/or Review!**

**Thanks,**  
><strong>Milley02<strong>


	3. Power Of A God

**A/N: Wow, over 100 hits, a fav alert and two reviews in only a few hours of posting? I am definitely continuing this fanfic!**

**Thanks for reviewing ruristorm15 and x-Beyond-B! You both get virtual cookies.**

**Also, I usually give the first reviewer the chance to create a character (or characters in Shattered-k3's case), but ruristorm15, you reviewed anonymously so I don't really know how to contact you... I'll keep you in mind if you want to though.**

**Right, now to the next chapter of this newly multi-chapter story!**

**_WARNING: most definitely contains horror, liberal swearing, etc._  
><strong>

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><p><em>Chapter 3 - Power Of A God<em>

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><p>"I fucking <em>told<em> you already!", I finally growled at the policeman sitting infront of me as I slammed my hands on the table,"I don't know what the _hell_ I was thinking when I ran after him! All I knew was that I saw a car coming out the window, and he was going to jump out right infront of it!".

For the last 14 hours, I had been sitting in a holding room at the police station.

"The man had just hijacked the bus you were on", he replied, monotonely.

Atleast I think it had been 14 hours - they'd confiscated my phone along with my bag and in my rush to get out the door yesterday morning, I'd forgotten to wear to my damn watch.

"He was going to fucking_ die_ if I didn't do anything!", I retorted.

Currently, I was tired as hell and was pretty sure I'd been here all night. Answering the same damn questions, over and over.

"He did die", the policeman said, arms crossed and a scowl on his face.

"I fucking know _that!_", I replied scathingly,"_I've still got his fucking blood all through my hair!_".

They'd allowed Jackie to get me a clean set of clothes from the apartment, but they'd searched the garments thoroughly and only let me go to the public bathroom down the hall to change - so no shower for me. The water from sink was all I was getting.

But this would be all over soon, they couldn't hold me for longer then 24 hours without charge.

"Well if you can't tell me why, then tell me what you thought you were doing - in hindsight".

That question caught me off guard - I mean, no offense to his intelligence, but it just sounded a little too insightful coming from him.

I sighed as I was sitting there in my second favourite jeans, a black tank top and a jean jacket - so while reminding myself to get my sister back later for the 90s fashion flashback, I was arguing with a policeman who resembled one of the guys from the Task Force.

Ummmm, by the haircut, I think it's Aizawa... but I could be wrong. He hadn't introduced himself, when he'd come in - which was reasonable, considering Kira was on the loose at the moment.

... the attitude was definitely him, though.

What _had_ I been doing, though? When I tried to save him? What _that_ what I was doing? Trying to _save_ him?

I shook my head. No, I wasn't trying to save him._ I was trying to stop Kira from killing him._

A knock came at the door, and I slumped back in my chair in a huff, arms crossed, as he went to see who it was.

In his rush, the man accidentally left the door open a bit, and I could hear their conversation as I scribbled down my final statement on the paper.

Something about... dead FBI agents.

I froze, eyes wide as I felt the colour drain from my face.

What the _hell_ is going on? That's not supposed to happen for _atleast_ another week!

Fucking great. More people are dead, and all I've been doing is sitting in here doing _fucking nothing!_

The door slammed shut, properly this time, but I paid it no heed.

_Kira was winning._

_'A sentence is a criminal paying penance in prison - that is what the justice system is for. But for a man to be sentenced, he must be alive - and that's why I tried to save him'_

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><p>They released me late Sunday afternoon without charge, just as I predicted.<p>

But instead of going home, I called Miyaka and asked her to give me a lift to the bus depot.

I was, understandably, a little uncomfortable about buses now, and Miyaka didn't question why I wanted to go there as I jumped on behind her on her dark blue kawasaki motorbike.

If I was right, the timeline was speeding up, and I had to find Naomi Misora, Ray Penber's fiance, before she got Kira's attention.

And I didn't have much time.

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><p>I caught one of the bus drivers as we pulled up outside the depot, asking him about the driver from the bus-jacking yesterday, and he pointed me a few rows back.<p>

I took off running, Miyaka calling after me to wait for here, but I only stopped long enough to ask her to wait with the bike. That this was personal.

When I found the bus driver, he was alone. I asked him if anyone had come to see him about the bus-jacking, other then the police.

"Uh, yeah actually. A woman came asking", he said, after a few moments of thought,"she was wearing all black and had dark hair and eyes... she was asking about the guy that told us to get down, remember?".

Damn it. I missed her.

"-just before you jumped out your seat - that scared me you know", he continued,"... what were you trying to do anyway?".

"I dun know really...", I lied,"thanks anyway - um, she didn't happen to leave any contact information did she? Or a name?".

"Nope", he replied, scratching the back of his head sheepishly,"just asked her questions, showed me a picture of her fiance so I could recognize him, then she left".

"Right, thanks", I said, nodding, thoughts already far away.

"No problem - just don't try saving anymore bus-jackers in the future, okay?", he called after me, waving.

I smiled, though it felt more like a grimace, and waved before walking back to Miyaka.

"Soooo, did you get what you were looking for?", she asked.

"Sort of", I replied, evasively,"... can you take me home now? I've still got some work to do before tomorrow".

The red-haired girl looked at me incredulously,"you're _still_ going to work tomorrow? After everything that happened?", she asked.

"Hey, I actually like my job", I retorted,"plus, I actually need the money to pay rent - unlike _some_ rich people".

"That's inheritance, missy!", she replied, smirking as jumped on behind her and she started up the bike.

"Whatever, let's just get some chinese before I go home. I'm starving".

Miyaka laughed,"Miyagi's?", she asked.

"Miyagi's", I confirmed, a grin working it's way onto my face.

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><p>I couldn't get away from the lab until after lunch - though it was mostly because Jackie had let it spill to Miyaka that it was my birthday.<p>

I had to sit through Michael's horrible singing and the Professor having a hissy fit over us 'monopolizing work time for a silly occasion'.

What an arsehole...

Anyway, I managed to get away by telling them I had to go back to the police station - saying something about it being a follow-up about the bus-jacking thing.

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><p>Damn it, I'm always one step behind!<p>

I'd _just_ missed her, she'd been here about 10 minutes ago and left with Light - _fucking Kira!_

I sighed as I left through the automatic sliding doors of the police station, then went back over to the bus stop just down the street.

If I waited here, I could catch her coming back this way.

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><p><em>Eh?<em> I looked up. _Snow?_

Ryuk's laughter boomed out from behind the bus shelter I was sitting in.

Slowly, my eyes widened in horror.

_Fuck._ Not again!

I bit my lip, jaw clenched.

I sat still, clutching my satchel tightly.

He's right over there.

_Light Yagami is fucking Kira and he's right over there!_

_Move,_ damn it! Say something! _Anything!_ Stop him!_ He's gonna fucking kill her if you don't!_

But I couldn't.

My name was already in the open because of the police statement I had to give, if I revealed my face too... it would only be a matter of time.

And knowing me, I would accidently let something slip in my words or facial expression if I ever talked to him.

Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, _fuck!_ Fucking, _damn it!_

I'm so sorry, Naomi Misora. I'm so sorry I couldn't save you.

Tears pooled in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall as a new determination struck me.

Kira wouldn't be winning for long. Because I wouldn't let him.

_No one should have the power over life and death._

_No one should have the power of a god._

Kira, you are going down.

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><p><em>End Chapter<em>

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><p><strong>AN: Yay, for pissy main character! You know, I just realized I hadn't wrote her name in the story yet... ah well, it'll come up eventually.**

**Please remember to Author Alert/Fav, Story Alert/Fave, and/or Review!**

**~Milley02**


	4. Work Of An Amateur Detective

**A/N: Hey all! Quick updates for this story, eh? I just can't get enough of Death Note...**

**Also, I'm aware that some of the events from the anime are switched around timeline-wise in this chapter - it's just because a few things had to happen first for her reaction to make sense.**

**Hope you guys enjoy reading this as much as I did writing it! XD**

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><p><em>Chapter 4 - Work Of An Amateur Detective<em>

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><p>It had been three months since the last time I'd seen Light or been near a police station. I kept busy, getting to work on time and leaving as soon as I was finished.<p>

I always kept one eye on the news, whether it was watching the huge tv billboard in the square at lunch, listening to the radio on my phone at work or on the train.

I was building my own investigation.

A whole _wall_ of my bedroom had been cordoned off and was now covered with a world map, pins stuck into cities I remembered Kira had struck, some of them had lists of the names of deceased - everything that I could remember was in with the current timeline. I even drew the pentagram from the unreported prison deaths and pinned it near Japan.

Everything except Ray Penber, the eleven other FBI agents and Naomi Misora. After all, they were not publicly released (yet, I think), some I didn't know, and Naomi's body hadn't even been found yet...

Yeah, I know. I'm a little obsessed about this, but so what? If I'm bringing Kira down, then I need to atleast _look_ like I'm working proper investigation here.

In brighter news, our lab had gotten another sponsor - some university in the city - so a few times a week, one of us had to catch a train to the campus to help out in the student research labs.

This week, it was my turn... but instead of working in the labs, I'd been assigned to supervise the entrance exams. This morning was Civics and then there was an English one this afternoon.

_Yay..._ that was sarcasm, in case you didn't notice.

But these people were adults now, and fully capable of acting like one (_hopefully_), so the only real problem I should have is curing my boredom while making sure they didn't break any of the exam rules.

Today, to reinforce my 'position', I was wearing a women's suit, except I was wearing pants instead of a skirt, my long brown hair that reached my shoulder blades was pulled back on the left side by a bobby pin - a hairstyle I had come to know as my usual - and my frame-less glasses were sitting on the bridge of my nose.

"Alright", I announced, once everyone had taken their seats, my brown eyes scrutinizing every row,"rules are on the board... but I'll read them out for any smartarses".

Some of the potential students looked at each other nervously at my attitude as I started slowly pacing across the front of the room and began listing off the rules.

"Rule One; no talking. The only exception to this rule is if you are talking to me, or one of the other proctors - and when doing this, remember to use a _low_ volume voice".

I gestured to the two other male lecturers placed strategically around the room.

"This leads us to Rule Two; raise your hand if you want to talk to me or one of other proctors - and wait silently until you have been approached before speaking".

"Final Rule; this is an exam, and therefore no cell phones, pagers, laptops or any sort of communication device should be on during it". As I listed each device, I held up my hand and ticked off one for each finger.

"Understood?". They all nodded.

That should do it. After a moment I looked up at the clock over by the end of the blackboard to check the time.

_9:29_

The bell should be going any second now... the tone boomed over the speakers in the distance.

"You may start now", I told them.

There was a flurry of people turning their exam papers over and after a few silent moments of reading, the scratching of pen on paper began.

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><p>Sighing through my nose, I folded my arms, leaning on one leg as my eyes swept over the classroom, looking for cheaters.<p>

Ten minutes in, it was _already_ starting to get really boring.

Suddenly, I started, eyes widening slightly. I'd spotted him, sitting with his feet up against his desk, pen poised between his thumb and fore-finger.

I frowned in annoyance, _can't he even try to look normal in public?_

Insomnia-driven eyes bored into the back of Light Yagami's head - who was not only sitting a few rows ahead, but someone I'd been trying to to ignore - from underneath scruffy, dark raven hair.

The lecturer standing at the back - Rukiyo, or something - looked at me meaningfully and motioned with his head towards him.

Oh, right. Looks like I'm taking that guy's place in this scene.

A scowl already firmly set into my features, I started walking down the aisle, trying to keep my glare off Light as he glanced at me as I walked past him, and keep it trained on potential student Number 162.

"Excuse me", I said, stopping a few feet away and re-folding my arms across my chest,"number 162, you have to sit properly".

He didn't even glance my way. He hadn't even started the damn exam.

Oh _wow_, L's being a total _jerk_. I mean, I kind of expected he might ignore me, but this is kind of annoying.

And he's my favourite character - well, Mello is too. Yep, he's in my top five favourites - what with him being an adorable, gender-confused, chocolate-addicted, future mafia boss.

Too bad he's so young right now it would be considered pedophilia. I mean, I'm only eighteen, so it's no_ THAT_ big of an age difference - but still.

Finally, L acknowledged me. But instead of replying with an apology, he just looked at me for second, a slight sparkle of annoyance in his eyes as he did, and then started his exam.

Che. They're _both_ stuck up.

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><p>"Hurry up, Razelle-chan!", Michael whispered like an excited child as he tugged me into a chair just inside the doorway at the front of the hall filled with new students,"the Entrance Ceremony has already started!".<p>

Honestly, I don't see why _I'm_ the one who has to make the _damn_ speech - I mean, sure, we're looking for a student intern, but that doesn't mean they have to make _me_ do the public speaking! I fucking_ hate_ public speaking...

Plus, they're gonna announce my name when they call us up - yet another way Light could use to make sure he knows my real name in case he wants to kill me.

God, I hope he doesn't. Though I don't think he has much reason to... _yet._

I stared at Light and L sitting in the front row now that they'd finished the freshman's address.

Yep. This is really fucked up. _This whole fucking thing is fucked up._

Oh, and 'razelle' isn't my real name, by the way - it's just this stupid nickname Michael came up with to annoy me. Means 'advisor' or 'counsel' or something in french.

"Now we have Razelle Knight and Michael Carter from the Miko Research Institute to talk about the internship they're offering this year for freshman and graduate students".

_-the fuck?_

I looked over at Michael, frowning, but he only smirked in reply. He changed my name? Why? Is he trying to protect me from Kira? But why? He's a total jerk!

Shaking my head, I followed him up onto the stage to give our stupid speech.

I'd think about it later, maybe when Miyaka and I go cherry blossom watching later this week - they're falling beautifully today.

Michael started talking into the microphone beside me, so I took one last glance at the two in the front row, smirking at Light's face as L revealed who he was, then completely ignored them as I helped Michael with the speech.

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><p>Q&amp;A after our speech half involved people asking how I'd gotten so far at such a young age.<p>

Honestly, if Light really wanted to, he could've been finished with his education by now - so what was so weird at me being a researcher at a middle-class laboratory based out of Shibuya?

Must be because I look younger then I am - which is a really annoying problem when I feel like consuming any kind of alcoholic beverage. It really is.

Plus, being under 160cm in height probably doesn't help, either.

Of course, I didn't say anything of this outloud. But I sure as hell thought it.

After the ceremony, we were approached by the principal, who thanked us profusely for coming to speak today. Michael even acted completely courteous for a change - go figure. Then this had to happen.

"So you are the mysterious miss Knight?".

"Eh?", I murmured, turning around, Michael also stopping to listen - probably out of curiosity.

Hooooly crap. L is talking to me. L is _TALKING_ to _ME._

Wait- 'Knight'? Damn you Michael for using my online alias!

"Uhhh... you're Ryuuga Hideki, right? One of the freshman representatives?", I asked, even though I already knew.

He nodded,"I am, and you are the woman who keeps showing up concerning Kira-related incidents", he turned to look at Michael who was doing a good job at giving him a death glare,"mr Carter", he said, nodding.

Fuck. Ffffuuuuuuuuuck.

Wait, why doesn't he just call me by my real name then? And what the hell is going on with Michael lately? He's being _really_ weird.

"Do you mind if we talk? Privately?", as L said this, he shot Michael a wary look.

"That depends", I started, folding my arms across my chest as my eyes flickering away from Michael to meet L's,"what exactly would we be talking about?".

"Why, Kira, of course".

* * *

><p>"You should try to something, the cake here is really delicious".<p>

L's limo parked outside, we were sitting in a private booth of a local coffee shop and L was sitting there on the other side of the booth, surrounded by cakes.

After a moment, I conceded and took one of the Belgian chocolate puddings. I _love_ Belgian chocolate pudding.

The waitress brought in my latte and I sipped at it while she left.

"So, miss Knight. We are here to discuss a few things concerning Kira".

Instinctively, I wrinkled my nose in disgust."Not a Kira fan, I take it?".

"Not in the least", I replied. Man, what is it with me going all _'proper'_ all of a sudden? Maybe L's attitude is rubbing off on me... wow, the Professor would love that. _Ugh._

... and I still haven't figured out why he's talking to me.

Then a piece of paper slid across the table towards me.

_'A sentence is a criminal paying penance in prison - that is what the justice system is for. But for a man to be sentenced, he must be alive - and that's why I tried to save him.'_

My eyes widened,"how did you get this?", I asked, staring at my police statement from the bus hijacking a few months ago.

"I was investigating the death of 12 FBI agents that occurred after the hijacking incident", L informed me,"one of them was on that bus".

My eyes flickered to from the paper, to him, in what I hoped was surprise,"there was?", I asked.

"Yes, and according to the report, he saved your life".

"Him?", I asked, sadness flashing through me as I thought of Ray Penber,"... he's dead?".

"Unfortunately". The cold tone of his voice pissed me off, even though I knew he was sad about it on the inside and was just trying to be professional. It _still_ pissed me off.

"I also heard that after you were released, you went to the bus depot to see the driver - asking about a woman?".

I remained silent at that, staring down at the paper.

"A woman who was Ray Penber's finance and a former FBI agent, herself".

"Oh... I'm sorry for her loss", I murmured.

"Interesting...", L muttered, and I looked up at him, curious. He was staring at me with wide eyes.

_What?_ What did I say?

"I never told you the FBI agent's name".

I stopped cold. My eyes widened slightly in realization of my mistake, but I forced them to go back to staring at the paper as my mind raced.

_Fuck._ I'm not supposed to know Ray's name._ I'm not supposed to know his damn name._ Nor that the woman I was following, Naomi, was his fiance. How the _fuck_ do I explain why I was following her?

Shit. Shit, shit, shit, _shit, SHIT._

Wait. This is it. I can_ do_ this.

"I was following a lead", I told him, and he raised an eyebrow, frowning slightly, before asking what I meant.

"You see, I'm running my own investigation", I started. I need to tread carefully here."That man who hijacked the bus - Osoreda Koiichiro - he wasn't smart enough to think of holding a bus hostage to get money from Spaceland - and in the form of receipts?", here I shook my head,"_definitely_ not. The man hadn't even been able to pull off a bank robbery and escape without revealing his face - no, instead he botched it completely, killing three people in the process. Not to mention he had a record of drug abuse".

I think I was doing pretty well at this point. Go on, keep talking, girl. Don't fuck it up now.

"When I went to see the bus driver, I was following a hunch that maybe someone else was involved", I continued,"and that maybe he would come back to the scene of the crime - the bus and driver - just to make sure all traces of his or her involvement were erased".

He went to talk, but I cut him off,"also, when I was in the police station, the policeman questioning me mentioned that 12 FBI agents had been killed - mostly likely by Kira. And if what you say was true, and there was an FBI agent on that bus that later died suspiciously, then that might've been where he was able to get the man's name and face - using the bus-jacking as a distraction, or even a motivator for the agent to show someone his ID badge in order to prove his wasn't Osoreda's accomplice".

L looked back up at me, curiosity shining in his eyes,"just what are you trying to say, miss Knight?".

"What I am trying to say, Hideki-san, is there is a very high possibility that Kira was been on that bus", I stated, staring back up at him now, waiting for his reaction.

"_That,_ is a _very_ bold statement", he replied, after a moment of silence,"and a lot of your conclusions are based on assumptions".

I didn't miss a beat,"a lot of successful detective work is based not only on fact, but through assumptions, Hideki-san".

His face was mostly blank, but I think I impressed him, because he didn't say anything for a little while - he looked deep in thought, too.

"Miss Knight, would you talk to me again?", L finally asked.

I raised an eyebrow,"I guess... though I work in Shibuya most weekdays, so it may have to be at night or on a weekend", I informed him. Wow, this was easier then I thought - a little too easy.

He nodded thoughtfully, then wrote something down on a napkin and handed it to me,"when you have some time, call this number and we can talk again", he said, then stood up to leave, taking the tray of remaining sweets with him to be boxed to take with him as he payed for our drinks at the register.

"Wait, don't you want mine?", I asked, following him to the door.

He looked at me,"if I want to contact you miss Knight, I can just use the number for the laboratory you work at", then he left.

Translation; he already has my number, but he doesn't want me to know just how high level he is in the Kira investigation - yet.

I went back to the booth and just sat there for a while, staring at my half-eaten Belgian chocolate pudding.

_F__uck_, I run my mouth when I'm nervous.

* * *

><p>I stood in my room, tv blaring in the lounge room and left hand playing with a strand hair as I studied my handiwork.<p>

To say the least, L approaching me that time had made me paranoid. The Friday the week after that, I finished typing everything into an offline database on a portable laptop, heavily encrypted it, and then removed everything from the wall.

I then repainted it to cover the pin holes and put up a couple of amateur paintings Jackie and I had been meaning to get out of the storage space in the building's basement.

I also started putting a chess piece just inside the doorway of my room whenever I left, as well as a piece of lead in the door hinge. I hate taking pointers from Kira, but it's a smart idea.

Thankfully, Jackie was again out of town until late April, so she wouldn't accidentally set off any of the precautions. I really would've done it sooner, but it's been so hectic at the lab lately that I've barely been home at all.

"Hey, Raz! Come look at this!", Miyaka called from the lounge room.

Grimacing at the new nickname she and Micheal had conspired to create, I walked in to find her sitting on the lounge with paint splattered clothes - she'd come over to help me after I'd removed everything from the wall.

"What's up?", I asked, plopping down next to her - I'd check for paint smudges later. Jackie would kill me if I got paint on her lounge, it's... kinda expensive.

She pointed and my eyes flickered over to stare at the tv. Some Ryuuga Hideki drama series was on, but that wasn't what she was talking about, because she knew I couldn't care less about the actor.

At the top of the screen was a couple of lines of kanji. I squinted, reading slowly through the foreign characters.

_'ICPO is to send total of 1500 detectives from various countries to japan to help solve Kira Case'_

I frowned and narrowed my eyes, my hand reaching back up to play the same strand of hair,"well, that's pretty stupid...".

"What is?", Miyaka asked absently, probably already focused back on the popular tv star that was currently on screen again, and no longer really listening.

"It's pretty pointless sending them if they announce it like that", I continued, twirling the hair strand with my pointer finger,"all it would accomplish would be to alert Kira to their movements - or maybe they're just trying to intimidate Kira into thinking there are more detectives looking for him or her then there really is. Maybe to try and get them to make a mistake".

"Wow, Raz, that's really deep", she said, but then continued in a matter-of-fact tone,"but Kira-sama wouldn't be intimidated by a bunch of foreign detectives, he'd just kill them all off for impeding justice".

Yeah, that's right. Miyaka is a Kira fan.

Honestly though, I kind of understand why she feels that way - the appeal of a god-like vigilante must be pretty strong to a girl like Miyaka.

You see, when Miyaka was little, her parents were killed by Yakuza thugs - thugs that were confirmed to have been murdered in one of Kira's latest killing sprees... and now that I think about, she kind of reminds me of a more tomboyish version of the pop star Misa Amane. Just not the pop star part - though, she is rich.

I kept staring absent-mindly at the tv for a few minutes as I processed my thoughts, then a frightening thought occurred to me and I froze, barely controlling the reaction to show on my face.

What if L's watching me right now?

I know I don't have any connections to the NPA or the police, but I did talk to him that time and I think I caught him off-guard with my analysis.

_Fuck._ That means he could've seen _the Wall._ Man, I really hope he isn't watching, or I'm gonna be in some _serious_ shit.

I made a mental note to immediately check my room for hidden cameras, under the guise of searching for the USB I lost last month, after dinner.

* * *

><p>A month passed, I hadn't noticed anything different, but the Kira death count was steadily continuing to rise. I had over 400 entries of Kira murder victims - and those were only the ones I knew about.<p>

Also, L hadn't contacted me again - which while I found strange, honestly didn't surprise me much.

If I wasn't a suspect, he wouldn't interested in me. But then again, if I _was_ a suspect, then he wouldn't contact, either.

Damn multiple possibilities and variables.

Ah well, time to order some food and channel surf with Miyaka. Yeah, she spends most of her time here now a days - something about me being 'lonely' with Jackie gone so much all the time.

Speaking - or rather, thinking - of my sister, I hadn't seen her for a while. I mean, she still sends her half of the rent on time and we talk on the phone occasionally, but I haven't seen her since the last time she was home.

Which was _over_ a month ago.

I shrugged to myself as I went to retrieve the chinese takeaway from Fuyu - Miyagi's only delivery girl. Jackie's probably just busy with work.

Besides she told me she's supposed to be coming home this Friday and that this weekend the three of us were going to _Akiba_ - _**Otaku Heaven**_, in case you forgot. I mean, I've been there a few times in the seven months I'd been living here, but I work a lot, so it's always fun going.

And yes, before you ask, I have looked into finding something Death Note related. But I couldn't find anything at all, and I didn't want to risk asking someone about it, either.

You know, just in case.

"Raz! Come quick!", Miyaka squealed suddenly and as I strolled into the living room, she was sitting on the floor in front of the tv, eyes wide in excitement.

The plastic bag of food slipped from the grip of my fingers as I stared at the gothic script on the white tv screen.

_The Second Kira has made her move._

* * *

><p><em>End Chapter<em>

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Please remember to Author Alert/Fav, Story Alert/Fave, and/or Review!**

**~Milley02**


	5. Taking Centre Stage

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with the Death Note franchise. If I did, L wouldn't have died.  
><strong>

**A/N: Hi! Thanks for reviewing everyone! I've never gotten so many reviews and hits for a story in such a short amount of time before! Almost 300 hits in TWO DAYS! Maybe I should write intellectual thrillers more often...**

**Anyway, to answer your question, InkheartFirebringer (awesome name, btw). Raz more 'dislikes' Light then anything else- okay, so she _loathes_ him because he's Kira, he kills people, and doesn't care that he's technically contradicting himself by committing mass murder... which is a crime. Making him a criminal. Then there's the fact that Light's kinda stuck up, because he's both smart _and_ a chick-magnet, and men like that really annoy her. And lastly, she's pretty scared of him. So half that hate at Light is misdirected self-raging because she's so afraid of death and anything to do with it.  
><strong>

**The next few chapters will show more depth of her opinions of the two main characters, Light and L, as they have their duel. Plus I'm going to a flashback chapter explaining some comments Raz made in _this_ chapter. That should be fun.  
><strong>

**But personally I don't hate Light - which is just one of the many things that Raz and I differ on. Sure, he caused the deaths of most of my favourite characters... but he just 'played the game' better then them, I guess. Plus, he's really a nice guy - he just had the misfortune to come across the Death Note and had his sense of justice warped, that's all...**

**... and then he gets his 'just desserts' at the very end. By Near, one of my top five favs. And it's there, ironically, that because Kira is dead, the 'New World' he's always harping on about, is created.**

**Oh, and elleray16! Did you know I wrote the first two chapters of this story, on the day that I posted them? And that I've only been writing this story since I posted the first chapter?**

***looks back over author note* Wow, I have no life.**

**Raz: Enough of your philosophical/depressing ranting - _get on with my story, already!_ Oh and check out the banner - don't I look awesome? Link's on her profile page!**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 5 - Taking Centre Stage<em>

* * *

><p>I could practically hear Mello's theme song pounding through my ears as I tore down the street towards the Sakura TV broadcasting station on Miyaka's motorcycle, decked out in her black leather protective gear and black motorbike helmet with tinted visor down.<p>

I'm actually doing this. I'm _actually_ going to _do_ this.

_... I must be fucking crazy._

I'd just charged out of the apartment, yelling to Miyaka that I was borrowing her bike for a while.

No plan.

No idea what the_ fuck_ I was _doing._

... okay. Maybe I had a _little_ plan. But it mostly involved standing outside Sakura TV and yelling at people to get away from the entrance.

I gunned the motor as I started coming within sight of the tv station, distracted slightly as two blocks to my right I could see flashing red and blue police lights out of the corner of my eye.

If I was lucky, maybe I could even save Ukita.

I changed direction, tires screeching in protest, and about a block away from the spotlight outside the station, I managed to force the police car to a stop.

"_What the hell are you doing?_", a man who resembled Ukita stuck his head out of the car.

"Saving your life!", I retorted from beneath the helmet,"just stay out of sight!_ Cover your damn face or something_ - take the back entrance if you have to!_ The front's not safe!_"_._

Ukita stared at me a second, then nodded and turned the car around, heading down a sidestreet beside the station.

I, meanwhile, headed for the well-lit front of the station - where all the tv cameras were pointing.

I skidded to a stop in the middle of the square of concrete, leaning the bike over slightly so I could stand right in the centre of the light, in full view and probably all over the news right now.

Someone needs to take a public stand.

And that's me.

_Right fucking now._

"Oi, Kira!", I yelled, feeling cocky and smirking beneath my helmet,"can't kill me now,_ eh?"._

I looked directly at the camera closet to me,"alright! Now I've got that out of my system... any police officers thinking of coming here and being all heroic - stop it now! It's not safe!", without looking, I gestured towards two dead policemen, who'd fallen beside their vehicle.

I still grimaced.

I could see the cameras focus on the bodies for a few seconds, before bringing them back to me.

"People are already working to bring this broadcast to a stop - _Kira is not a god!_", I declared,"he has _no_ control over us, unless we admit defeat before this-!".

_"-get out of the way!"_, one of the newswoman suddenly yelled at me, and I looked to the right to see a truck screaming towards me. Damn it! I had a whole speech prepared and everything!

_"Fuck!"_, I swore, gunning the motorbike and just managing to get out of the way in time, before it smashed through the glass doors and into the lobby.

Smirking at the dramatic entrance, I swerved the bike around it a circle, tires squealing at the extreme friction, and turned towards the lobby, driving straight through the remaining glass.

Skidding to a stop inside by the front of the truck, I jumped off the bike and ran over to Sochiro Yagami as he got out the driver's cab, and then demanded he be taken to where the studio was airing the Kira videos.

I grinned. Light may be a total douchebag, but his dad's fucking _awesome._

* * *

><p>Together, we charged into the room and confronted the Sakura TV Director - you know, who I'm talking about! <em>Umm, <em>remember that fat guy with the dated glasses? Yeah, him.

Sochiro had a gun to threaten them to hand over the tapes, but I just managed to look intimidating with my helmet still on.

Also, being a 2nd degree black belt helps - atleast that's what the security guard just outside the room is probably thinking now that I dragged him into the room with his arm twisted behind his back.

Ain't martial arts awesome?

A grimace slid back onto my face as I noticed another police car pulling up out the front on one of the screens showing another station's feed of the outside of the Sakura TV studios.

Does _nobody_ ever fucking _listen_ when you warn them away?

We managed to get all the copies of tapes - atleast, I think we did - and Sochiro used the emergency button on his belt and got a call from L.

"Get me Ryuuzaki, please!", he said the moment it answered.

"That's right, I couldn't take it anymore".

Damn it, listening to one side of a conversation is really annoying.

"I've seized the tapes and I'm bringing them over".

"Sir!", called a voice, and I turned to see Ukita running up to us with another bag of tapes - looks like that fat ass was holding out on us after all.

_Go, Ukita! Go!_

Grinning behind my helmet visor, I held up a hand to high-five him, and he hesitated before awkwardly doing so.

_Nice._

"Ukita's here with me, he's fine, and there's one other who helped me get the tapes", Sochiro continued, glancing at me for moment,"now how are we going to get out of here? I assume the front of the building is dangerous, but maybe we'll be alright in the van?".

"Just walk straight out the front entrance?", he asked incredulously.

I looked back at Sochiro, and Ukita gaped at the man, about to start protesting as he hung up the phone.

"Ukita, I trust him", he said with a firm tone, and Ukita nodded reluctantly, then Sochiro turned to me,"I'm guessing you don't have an issue with this since you're still wearing that helmet?".

I nodded.

"Alright then, let's go".

* * *

><p>I gotta say, stepping out there was a sight to see.<p>

Policemen, decked out in full riot gear, and buses surrounded the entrance - not one gap in the barricade that enclosed the area - and sitting there in the centre, was a car.

Sochiro sighed, a smile on his face as he walked up to car, putting a hand on the shoulder of the man standing there with the open door in thanks.

"I'll drive", Ukita told them, and before Sochiro could protest, he got in the driver's seat.

Then he turned to me,"you're coming with us", Sochiro told me in a no-nonsense tone.

I looked back at Miyaka's motorbike, still sitting in lobby.

"I'll make sure you get it back later", he assured me,"but if you stay here, these guys will be taking you in custody", he gestured to the large crowd of riot police.

Oh.

I got in the back of the car.

Fuck that. There's no _fucking way_ I'm going back into one of those holding rooms.

No way in _hell_, not after the last time.

* * *

><p>"... I would really hate...", L's voice paused,"... to be killed by an opportunist pretending to be Kira".<p>

Words of protest and confusion came from the rest of the Task Force.

"This Kira is highly likely to be a fake", L explained,"no- probably a _second_ Kira".

There was pause, and I leaned closer to the keyhole to hear better, when suddenly the door opened and I almost fell into the room.

Looking up, I smiled nervously at the sight of the everyone in the room staring at me - everyone except L.

"Would you care to explain, Miss Knight?", L asked, eating another bit of cake, before finally turning his eyes to look at me.

A nervous laugh escaped me before I could stop it, and a couple of the Task Force members glared at me.

I sighed, rolling my eyes as I walked into the room, coming to a stop beside the detective.

"I would love to, actually", I said, trying to keep my expression serious.

"Ryuuzaki, who is this?", who I assumed to be Matsuda, asked. Cause he has this kind of innocence when he talks, and it's kind of cute.

_Fucking teenage hormones..._

"I'm what you would call... Ryuuzaki's 'outside investigator'", I explained, remembering the conversation L and I had this morning.

I cringed inwardly as the memory passed through my mind. I was still a just _little_ hurt that he considered me a Kira Suspect. But I guess I kind of understand where he's coming from - what with how I've been acting and all that _'evidence that validates suspicion'_ that he presented. And, while circumstantial, it was a pretty long trail that lead all the way back to the hijacking four months ago. _Ugh, my ego took a blow._

"Miss Knight has been working parallel to this Task Force for several months now", L added._  
><em>

"Wait, I know you...", Ukita started,"you were the one on the motorbike - you saved my life!".

Guess he recognized the leather outfit I'm still wearing- and _man_, is it _tight!_

"Nice to see you're okay", I replied, turning my gaze on him,"I'm just angry that I didn't get there in time to save the two policeman who died before I got there - and even more angry that other policemen ignored my warnings and still approached the station without protection after we went inside".

"Miss Knight", L said calmly, then paused as he ate other bitof cake,"please stay on topic".

"Oh,_ right._ Yeah", I mumbled to myself, smiling a bit sheepishly,"now where was I? Right, the 'Second Kira'. Let's see... there's a few reasons why it's highly probable that there is another Kira", I turned into lecture mode, something I usually only reserved for lab time with Michael, but it would work here.

I folded my arms, one hand reaching up to play with a strand of my hair as I talked.

"The first reason is that there was a difference in the trend of the criminals that Kira predicted to be killed in the first video", I began,"these criminals were _only_ reported in women's magazines and on daytime TV - trends that completely contradict the pattern of the real Kira. In other words, the real Kira wouldn't choose those types of criminals - they were too weak in any sort of criminal activity. Nothing like the original Kira's usual targets at all".

"But now that we have deduced that there is a Second Kira...", I paused slightly as L picked up a large strawberry from his cake and put the whole thing in his mouth,"... we can safetly assertain that the reason why, is that this Second Kira couldn't risk choosing criminals that may be killed by the real Kira".

Half the Task Force looked uncomfortable with me here, which I didn't blame them for at all. After all, I just walked in and started spouting theories that sounded L-ish. They seemed to accept my theory though - if only because L had when I told him earlier.

"... Ryuuzaki", Sochiro started slowly,"what's the probability that this is a _second_ Kira?".

"This time, I would say it's over 70%", L replied. Then he went on to talk about how he hated the Second Kira's style.

And I whole-heartedly agreed. Misa just kills innocent people as examples - but that's only because she's kinda obessessedly driven like that.

And_ fuck,_ I can't believe I'm even _thinking_ this, but I think I prefer Light's style over Misa's - if only because he avoided killing innocent people.

Well, unless they were after him - can't forget poor Naomi Misora, Ray Penber, and his fellow FBI agents.

Fucking, Kira. Fucking, _Light_. Fucking, _Death Notes_._ Fucking, shinigami-!_

Okay. _Breathe,_ girl. _Don't fuck up now._ You_ just_ got on the good guy's team - and before Light too!

That's one thing to be happy about - you one upped the douchebag! Go, me! _XD_

I did _not_ just do a mental emoticon- nope, I did.

_Damn it_, I've been hanging out with Miyaka too much. Her hyper teenage tendencies are rubbing off on me... _ugh._ Well, atleast it'll balance with L's 'properness' rubbing off on me - and I don't care if that isn't a word, because I just invented it.

Okay, rambling now... what was I talking about? Oh yeah, Miyaka...

... why do I hang out with then, you ask? The answer is simple. Miyaka is 21 and is a lot more intelligent then she acts out to be.

Then L's next words broke through my thoughts.

"Yagami-san, would it be alright if I asked your son to work with us?".

So I'm not _that_ far ahead of him then.

"You hear that, Miss Knight?". _Damn_ he's good at noticing when I'm lost in my own thoughts.

So, a little annoyed, I decided to be a smartarse for a second.

"You mean that thing you said about not telling Yagami-san's son that there's a Second Kira? Yeah I heard you, Ryuuzaki".

_Ugh,_ I'm _never_ doing that again... I just got this dead feeling inside... _ugh!_

* * *

><p><em>End Chapter<em>

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Unfortunately, I'll be taking a break for a few days so I can get some uni assignments sorted out... T_T be back soon though!**

**So please continue to Author Alert/Fav, Story Alert/Fave, and/or Review while I'm gone!**

**Btw, I tried fixing the grammatical errors you pointed out, InkheartFirebringer. But I think I missed a some of them... -_-"  
><strong>

**I also wanted to make this chapter longer, but I had to end it there because Light joins the Task Force after this and I had to do the next chapter before that happens.**

**It's gonna be called _As Suspect Is To Detective_**

**... anyone got the hint yet?  
><strong>

**~Milley02**


	6. As Suspect Is To Detective

**A/N: I'm back again. I got one assignment done, so I whipped this up just now.**

**Now before we start, I just want to warn you guys - I was little iffy writing this chapter, and I'm not sure I got L's character right... so sorry if he's too OOC... -_-"**

**Enjoy. More chappies coming soon.**

****Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with the Death Note franchise. If I did, L wouldn't have died.****

****Also, Raz. So _WARNING for liberal swearing, etc._  
><strong>**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 6 - As Suspect Is To Detective<em>

* * *

><p><strong><em>Several months earlier<em>**

"I fucking _told_ you already!", the girl sitting in the police station holding room growled at the policeman in front of her as her hands slammed on the table.

"I don't _know_ what the hell I was thinking when I ran after him! All I knew was that I saw a car coming out the window, and he was going to jump out right in front of it!".

Sitting alone in the dark room lit only by the screen of the computer, L chewed his thumb as he watched the video, and not for the first time.

This girl was interesting... it was the statement that she gave to the police that first caught his attention.

_'A sentence is a criminal paying penance in prison - that is what the justice system is for. But for a man to be sentenced, he must be alive'_

Yes, she was _very_ interesting.

He'd had someone follow her once she was released from police station as she made her way to the bus depot. But she'd slipped away from her tail somehow the next day after leaving work early.

Her actions over the three months after that only heightened his suspicions.

Internet history - which was deleted every time she left her computer - was either Kira, L, or work-related.

She'd watched videos of his challenge to test Kira's powers that he broadcasted in Kanto, several times.

She was always listening to the news. Whether it be through a portable device, a TV, or radio.

And then, there was _the Wall._ He almost hadn't it believed Watari when he first told him.

_But then he saw the photos._

Two months after the bus hijacking that initially brought her to his attention, he had two Kira suspects.

Light Yagami - and _Her._

She had only recently moved to Japan and lived on the fourth floor of a small apartment building in Shibuya with her older sister Jackilyne, who's name the apartment was rented under. She also apparently liked to cook anime-related sweets, and in abundance.

She was elusive, intelligent, was quite accomplished for her age, and had only two of what one would call friends.

First, was Miyaka Noriyuki. An intelligent young woman, she worked part-time at her uncle's Shibuya research laboratory, but was by no means lacking in funds. Her parents were killed by Yakuza thugs when she fourteen years old over some unsavory resulting foreign stock market dealings, and she had inherited everything.

This included several residences - high rise apartments in Shibuya, Tokyo and New York, a small town house in Kanto and a small private island in the Pacific - but for some reason she preferred to spend most of her time at her friend's little apartment. She also inherited several vehicles - though she preferred a kawasaki motorcycle, which she had several of in different colours - and several billion in several bank accounts. However, she acted quite childishly most of the time, and was always visiting Her when She was home.

And, due to the recent Kira-related deaths of four imprisoned Yakuza thugs, Miss Noriyuki was a devoted Kira follower.

Lastly, was Michael Carter. A rather flirtatious young man, with no apparent preferred gender, he had come to work for the Miko Research Institute one month before She had.

Before that, all that was on record was a general life and education in Paris, France. No noted living family or friends. He had traveled to England and America a few times in his younger years, before coming to Japan and joining the research institute.

It was quite clear where his loyalty lay.

L began chewing his thumb again as he shifted the papers aside to show Her file, the picture paperclipped to the top left hand corner coming from her ID badge at the research institute. She looked so serious for someone her age.

This is _definitely_ going to be one interesting case.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Two months earlier<em>**

The Wall was becoming larger.

Updated photos from Watari revealed the lists and newspaper clippings now overlapped each other, and you could no longer see the world map beneath it.

But today was the Entrance Ceremony for To-Oh University, and he had to go. He and Light were giving the freshman's address, and it would be the perfect opportunity to reveal to Light his identity and catch him off-guard.

If he was Kira, he might show some kind of reaction to his enemy revealing himself. Then again, he might not.

Either way, it could make a difference. If he was Kira, which L considered a very high possibility, then by revealing himself to only Light, while the risk was great, it would further the investigation as the battle for true justice really began.

Then, there She was.

Giving an address with Michael Carter at the Ceremony about some of sort of internship were she worked - under a false name.

_'Razelle Knight'?_ Really, now. First she was an exam proctor and now she's giving a speech for the research institute at the university - just who_ is_ this girl?

* * *

><p>A few days after the Entrance Ceremony, L began the video surveillance.<p>

He had almost no suspicion at all towards Deputy Director-General Kitamura's family, and he only had the cameras installed there in order to bring attention away from the fact he would be having them installed in Her apartment as well.

As the days of surveillance went on, he alternated between watching the two of them - Light and 'Raz' as her friends called her.

Though it seemed she was hardly ever at home, so he'd managed to get a hold of security footage from her work place, the Miko Research Institute, and had Watari watch that.

He doubted she would doing anything in such a public place, but just in case...

* * *

><p><strong><em>One month earlier<em>**

She took the Wall down.

Their talk after the Entrance Ceremony must've made her paranoid, he decided, because the second she had a free moment, she tore it down in favour of an offline laptop database that was both heavily encrypted and she took with her every time she left the apartment, backing it up on other encrypted devices she had hidden in several unknown locations.

Until their talk, surprisingly, he hadn't considered the possibility that she was dabbling in amateur investigation.

Now he did, though, it made sense. The trauma of seeing a man die right in front of you - criminal or not - and especially in such as way, it_ would_ spur some stronger minded people to act against the so called 'god-like' mass murderer/vigilante that instigated the death.

Her actions in the holding room after the event contributed to this theory.

Also Her theory of Kira possibly being on that bus during the hijacking was also interesting, especially since it furthered his own theory that Kira could control his target's actions leading up to and including the circumstances of their death.

Unfortunately, her theory couldn't be proven without solid facts, and no one but Ray Penber, and possibly his fiance Naomi Misora, could give them that information.

But they were either dead, courtesy of Kira, or missing.

How convenient...

* * *

><p>It was a weekend. She and the Miyaka girl had been painting her bedroom walls all day and were now lazing around the apartment in paint splattered clothes.<p>

The red-head was watching a Ryuuga Hideki program on the TV in the lounge room while the brunette in question was in her bedroom inspecting the former Wall - probably to make sure she hadn't missed anything.

"Watari, tell all of the TV stations to run that news special".

As he expected, the girl called Her in once the NHK News Flash appeared across the top of the screen.

"What's up?", Raz asked as she fell onto the lounge. Without saying a word, Miyaka pointed at the TV and Raz turned to look at the screen, squinting slightly.

She paused with a surprised, then angry look on her face, just long enough for L to listen to Light's response to the broadcast on the feed from the Yagami Residence, then she spoke.

"Well, that's pretty stupid...", she said slowly, a hand reaching up to play with a strand of her hair.

"What is?", her friend asked.

"It's pretty pointless sending them if they announce it like that", Raz continued, twirling the hair strand on her pointer finger,"all it would accomplish would be to alert Kira to their movements - or maybe they're just trying to intimidate Kira into thinking there are more detectives looking for him or her then there really is. Maybe to try and get them to make a mistake".

To say the least, her response caught him slightly off-guard. Just as it did almost every time he heard her speculate out loud or voice a theory.

It was logical, well-thought through, and not only covered every possibility, but was explained in a way that made sense.

Just like her 'Kira was on the hijacked bus' theory...

Suddenly, she froze. L watched with curious eyes as her gaze darted away from the TV towards her room for a moment, then back to screen, suddenly looking slightly shaken and tense.

"Interesting...", he mumbled around his thumb, a strangely excited look on his face that irked Sochiro Yagami, the man that was sitting next to him.

Could she have just realized something?

L's two prime suspects - no, _only_ suspects - were both intelligent, had a strong sense of justice, advanced deductive skills and at the time had fit the profile they'd been building earlier in the investigation - almost to a 'T'. _Almost_ being the key word there.

But, so far, they had no real solid evidence on either of them.

That night, Raz barely managed to disguise the fact that she found several of the cameras, eventually crying 'eureka!' when she discovered a USB behind her desk.

After that, she barely spoke about or worked on her investigation inside the apartment or at work.

That was when he began to suspect she had noticed the cameras.

* * *

><p><strong><em>14 days earlier<em>**

The cameras were removed earlier that week, but L still sifted through all the footage of Light and Raz several times, before telling the other members of the Task Force about his lowered suspicions.

He was disappointed, to say the least. But not deterred.

After all, he was going to see Light at university today to have a talk.

* * *

><p>Sochiro Yagami's heart attack from overworking and the obvious building of stress over being the technical head of the Kira investigation, didn't surprise L.<p>

With his son one of their prime suspects, it was quite reasonable to assume Light's father would be feeling much more burdened than the others and that it would eventually take it's toll.

However - and L would only ever admit this to himself - for a moment, the fear that it may have been Kira _did_ cross his mind when he received that call from Watari.

And it only made it harder for him to sit beside Light, the Kira Suspect, while he declared his loyalty to his father and lawful justice in the most corny way possible.

* * *

><p><strong><em>The night before<em>**

_"We interrupt to bring you live to the front of the Sakura TV station!"_

The second TV showed a broadcast from another news channel filming out the front of the Sakura TV studios.

The point of the focus of the camera were two police officers collapsed beside their cruiser, doors open, lights still flashing and motor still running.

_"It seems two people have collapsed right outside the doors! This is live footage from the front of Sakura TV!_", the news caster continued.

Ukita, who had rushed out not 15 minutes ago and was heading for the broadcasting station, was no where to be seen.

Meanwhile, the Kira Tapes continued.

_"Will the police work with me in creating a just world? Yes or no?"_, Kira said, voice masked.

_"Please answer in four days on the six o'clock nightly news - I've prepared different tapes depending on whether the answer is 'yes' or 'no'"._

Suddenly, a leather-clad woman on a black kawasaki motorcycle skidded into the view frame, and the camera turned to focus on her, her face obscured by the tinted visor of her helmet.

_"Someone riding a motorcycle has just appeared in front of the station!"_, the newswoman reported.

_"Oi, Kira!"_, the leather-clad woman taunted,_"can't kill me now, eh?"_

That voice...

Then the woman became serious, looking directly at the camera,_"alright! Now I've got that out of my system... any police officers thinking of coming here and being all heroic - stop it now! It's not safe!"_, without looking, she gestured towards the two dead policemen to her right.

But... who is it...?

_"People are already working to bring this broadcast to a stop - Kira is not a god!"_, she declared,_"he has no control over us, unless we admit defeat before this-!"_

Her speech was cut off as the newswoman suddenly shouted at her to get out of the way, and her motorbike roared to life, the rider only having just enough time to drive off screen.

Barely a second later, a truck smashed through the glass doors of the lobby, the motorcycle rider paused for a moment off to the side of the shot, then spun the bike around in circle on her back tire to turn around, before disappearing inside after it.

_"It crashed into it!"_, the newscaster continued to report,_"a truck has crashed in the Sakura TV studios! And the mysterious rider has gone in after it!"_

"They are certainly ways of entering without anyone seeing your face", L commented.

"But, who are they-?", Matsuda asked.

"-and where's Ukita?", Aizawa added.

Soon, another police car drove up to the front of the TV station.

"We aren't alone in this", Matsuda started,"there are other cops willing to fight!".

L quickly borrowed Aizawa's cell phone to call the mobile of the Deputy Chief Kitamura. If they didn't get a hold of this situated soon, things were going to get way out of hand, and the death toll would only grow.

_"Ahh!"_. L looked back at the TV.

_"The two officers who stepped out of the police car have collapsed!"_, the newswoman reported, the feed's picture shuddered as someone picked up the camera,_"we are now moving to safer location!"_, she declared.

The Deputy Chief was watching too, and that was all it took for L to convince him of his plan.

Then Sochiro Yagami called. L wasn't surprised, he had suspected it was him in the truck. The man quickly explained the situation as L put Kitamura on hold.

"... Yagami-san, do you know who the woman motorcycle rider is?", L asked finally.

_"No, she hasn't revealed her face"_, Sochiro replied after a moment, and L murmed an understanding in response.

After that, with both Sochiro and the Deputy Chief on either line, L was quickly able to organise and facilitate Sochiro, Ukita and the rider's way safetly out of Sakura TV studios and back to the hotel.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Earlier that morning<strong>_

After watching all the Kira Tapes and explaining what he'd discovered to the Task Force, L went to see the masked rider, wondering what next twist in the Kira Case awaited him in the room down the hall.

But, of all the things, L hadn't expected this. Much like, he imagined, Light hadn't expected him to just come out and say _'I'm L'._

_How had he missed the connection between Her, the kawasaki motorcycle, and her voice?_

Yet there She was, standing in the morning light streaming in from the window behind her.

She was right in front of him, wearing tight-fitting dark leather protective gear and holding a black motorbike helmet under her left arm.

"... _um,_ hi Hideki-san", Raz started, a nervous smile on her face as she scratched the back of her head with her right hand,"guess I have some explaining to do, eh?"

* * *

><p>I can't believe I just fucking said that - that's the fucking <em>worst<em> understatement of the year _ever!_

But, it turns out, I didn't need to explain anything. Because once L discovered it me who was the masked rider, he had everything else already figured.

He told me who he was, who I was, my 'mission', my real name- you thought I was going to tell you then, didn't you?

Anyway, L also explained to me what they'd been doing regarding the Kira investigation these past months.

Yep. _Everything._ And _man_, do I feel like an_ idiot._

But that was in the past now. L had come to the conclusion that the only diference between him and Kira - at least, in the beginning - was a severly misplaced sense of justice.

And that I was more like him then Kira. Which I felt was a very high complement.

Of course, that didn't get me _completely_ off the hook as a suspect. But it was a start.

And, apparantly, it was enough to get me on the Task Force - though I didn't exactly feel as happy about that as I probably should've been.

I mean, _Kira_ gets on the Task Force, for fuck's sake - so what does that make me? Chop suey?

I suddenly remembered the Miyagi's chinese food I'd dropped on the floor when I'd rushed off to get to the Sakura TV station.

Aww... I forgot about that...

* * *

><p><em>End Chapter<em>

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Please continue to Author Alert/Fav, Story Alert/Fave, and/or Review!**

**~Milley02**


	7. Dealings With Death

**A/N: I'm back! Okay, just to review. This story has been up for... a week now, and it has; 15280 words, 6 chapters, 13 reviews, over 900 hits from 22 different countries, 7 favs, and 5 alerts... I'm honestly awed.**

**Thank you SO much everyone who is reading this story! I'll keep on going 'till the end! Well, Raz's end...**

**Raz: You better not fucking kill me!**

**Don't worry, the implication of those words only really occurred to me after I wrote them just then.**

**When I started, I honestly didn't have much of a plan as to where this story was going - as it is, I'm still just writing the chapters according to how I think Raz would react to the events in the anime, and developing her character as I go. I don't usually do it like this, I usually plan ahead about 20+ chapters, writing snippets of future scenes as they pop into my head and writing notes of events as I re-watch episodes/read chapters.**

**Here, I'm just watching the episodes as I write - and apparently it's going WAY better.**

**Anyways, I just quickly want to note that the new character that appears in this chapter (and it's pretty easy to figure out which one), while having the same name as a canon character, will be a little different here than in the anime/manga. I have done this deliberately in order for it to make sense in the flow of the story, so it's just my creative license(?) at work and besides, he doesn't even appear in the show much anyways...**

**Okay! Enough of my rambling - on to the story!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with the Death Note franchise. If I did, L wouldn't have died.**

**Also, WARNING for liberal swearing, etc.**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 7 - Dealings With Death<em>

* * *

><p>Today is the day.<p>

Today is the day that I'm going to meet Light.

My hands were shaking as I carried the tray of tea down the corridor, and the highly-stacked cups, coffee jug, spoons, and two cakes, rattled as I walked.

I guess there's no shame in admitting it - _I'm fucking scared shitless._ And with good reason.

I paused outside the closed door.

_The_ fucking _Kira_ is _that_ room.

Light Yagami. _Kira._ Ryuk. _Shinigami._ Hell there was even a piece of the _Death Note_ in there, sown into the lining of the guy's _fucking wallet._

My nerves were no where near made of steel, and I honestly wasn't sure how much more of this I could take.

But I was in this now, there was no turning back.

I lived here now, in this world.

And there was_ no fucking way_ I was gonna let some mass murdering _psychopath_ with a god complex continue to do whatever the hell he wanted in it, like the world was his own little fucking sandbox or something.

Nope, no fucking way... wow, I really suck at self-motivation.

As I reached for the door handle, the other hand balancing the tray precariously, a smile slipped itself onto my face. You know the smile - the one that says 'hi! Nice to meet you! :D' but never actually reaches the person's eyes.

I opened the door, gaze trained forward, and walked across the room, kicking the door shut behind me with the heel of my foot.

Without looking up, I placed the tray of coffee on the small table between the lounges by the window, setting out seven mugs, before pouring tea into each and then placing the two cakes Watari had gotten in the centre - one, unbearably sweet, and the other, a fruit cake.

"... it's the same", Aizawa started from behind me.

"Exactly the same as Night-san and L- I mean, Ryuzaki's reasoning...", Matsuda added.

I sat down on the lounge and picked up one of the mugs, just staring at the dark brown liquid.

"Exactly, Light-kun. We are also assuming this is a second Kira", L explained.

God, I hate this exchange, it takes forever and all they're doing is playing a mental game of tennis- _damn_, I missed their real game of tennis.

The tension between them would've crazy- wait, what was I doing back then that was so important I missed that? I don't remember being at work or anything...

Then a nice part came up, and so, dismissing the thoughts for later, I listened.

"And for this, Light-kun...", L began,"I want you to play the part of the real Kira".

"_M- me?_", Light asked. Damn, he's good at the 'good boy' act.

... I hope he doesn't try flirting with me or something. I don't hold up well against guys who do that... not that there have been many who did. Apparently I'm _'intimidating'_ or some shit.

Ryuk started cackling then, and my head jerked- I almost looked straight at him. _Fuck, I almost blew it._ But I think I managed to pass it off as I reluctantly started looking at Light for the first time since I'd entered the room- and _wow_, is he_ hot._

I mean, I know he's_ Kira_ and all, but _man_ - I think I now know why all the women in this show were always practically throwing themselves at him.

He's pretty damn tall though - well, compared to me, I mean.

I don't really notice it as much with L because, well, he always slouching over like he does. But with Light, _ugh_, he's just so damn _tall_.

It's gonna piss me off, talking to him.

But that's _good_. It means I won't fall for his 'smooth talk' as easily - which I can imagine being very smooth and effective- _damn it!_ Sort your thoughts, girl! You're here to bring him down remem-** _UGH. BAD, BAD MENTAL IMAGES._**

Focus, damn it! Before he notices you-_ oh_, too late. He wants to be introduced.

Light held out a hand,"hi, I'm Light", he said, a surprisingly stern look on his face.

The nervous grin blossomed on my face again before I stop it. Though that didn't change the fact that I was confused at his attitude.

The Task Force, including L, watched our exchange - the first with with curiosity and the latter with interest.

"I'm Miss Night", I replied in a light tone, ignoring the look as I shook his hand,"it's nice to meet you, Light-san".

I know, not much of a change for an alias right? But L said it'd be okay because it's an alias of my alias...

But I should be _totally_ fine...

You know, as long as I don't go to Aoyama and generally stay away from Misa while she has the shinigami eyes.

_... knowing my luck, I am sooooooo fucked._

* * *

><p>I think I've now officially become 'coffee girl'.<p>

It's really demeaning, to be honest. I come here to help with the Kira Case, and half time all I'm doing is getting everyone fucking coffee _- and my coffee tastes horrible!_

I know that for a fact, because Michael always complains how crap the coffee is in the break room at the lab, and when he _'finds out'_ I made it, he sighs dramatically and says _"I guess that explains it then"._

Fucking, arsehole...

_Oh-_ looks like Misa sent a reply to Light's Kira tape.

Oh, _man._ This is kinda hard to watch. She's revealing shinigami secrets left and right.

For fuck's sake, girl -_ shut the fuck up!_ There are some things humans aren't supposed to know!

_And things about Death are fucking among them!_

On the bright side, I can see Light freaking the fuck out from the corner of my eyes - it's actually pretty amusing to watch too. Insert evil mental grin here.

_Man,_ I hope he can't see the smirk I'm trying to discretely hide at the moment. That would be bad. He keeps glancing at me too, like he's looking for something... which is kinda disturbing me.

_"We can confirm each other when we meet by showing our shinigami"_

And oh, my, fucking, _god_. It just keeps getting worse. She just keeps talking, and talking, _and talking_, and saying stupid fucking things.

And I can barely stop the maniacal, possibly hysterical considering the situation, laughter that's trying to bubble up my throat - it always did when I watched these kinds of scenes.

At this rate, I'm gonna be implicated again.

... or at least certifiebly insane.

That was when my back hit the wall- when did I start backing away?

L's cry of fear, throwing his hands in the air and falling sideways off his chair, broke me from my thoughts as the others rush to see if he was okay.

Then, as suddenly as it had first revealed itself all those months ago on the bus,_ the Feeling_ hightened.

Quickly, I took note of the room. Ryuk's hovering behind Light, but it's not him... it's right beside me.

My eyes widened before I could stop them as the implication hit me.

**_There's another shinigami in the room._**

It couldn't be Rem, she's with Misa right now.

The frown I was already wearing deepened. I'm sure of it now.

_A mystery shinigami is in the room, and it's right fucking next me._

... L's fear of shinigami existing suddenly seems a lot more distant to me now.

Sorry, man, but my personal priorites - _like me possibly being fucking stalked by a fucking god of death_ - comes first.

"Miss Night?".

"Eh?", I looked up at Light, not thinking before I spoke. That's not good, I'll have to fix that. _Especially_ around _him_.

_Huh,_ everyone else seems to be off doing their own thing now- how long was I standing there, thinking?

"Are you alright?", Light asked, what looked like a mix between fake concern and wary suspicion on his face. _What the fuck is** up** with him?_

The sound of cups rattling on the tray I was holding finally registered in my ears.

Oh. Shit. I took a slow breath, focusing on other things, and the ratteling quickly settled.

Way to go, girl. _Nice poker face you fucking have there._

"... _uh,_ I think so", I amended quickly,"Ryuuzaki's reaction just caught me off guard is all...". After a moment, Light just nodded in understanding and then took one of the cups.

"This is good", he said after taking a sip,"thanks for the coffee, Miss Night".

Then he walked off- wait, why's he even taking one? He's just going to that coffee place after this...

And what the hell is up with his attitude towards me? It's like he knows something...

I frowned. This is not going how I thought it would at all.

* * *

><p>That night, I finally got to come back to the apartment. Jackie was out clubbing with work colleagues, so I'd have the place to myself for the night, which I was greatfull for.<p>

I mean, I know she's my sister and that I hardly ever see her lately, but... I just really want to be alone right now. I really need some time to relax, is all.

Yawning, I stretched my arms above my head, bone joints popping satisfyingly, before flopping back on my bed and snuggeling up in the bed spread with a contented sigh.

_Ohhhhh,_ how I missed my own bed.

It was raining outside, so I'd taken a shower the moment I got home to get out of my wet clothes, and now I was laying there in my pjs just listening to the rain.

Suddenly, lightening struck and I froze as it lit up the room, the thunder rumbeling in after it.

But it wasn't the lightening that scared me -_ the Feeling had suddenly soared._

Slowly, I rolled over, propping myself up on my elbow to look across my room.

"Hey there, girlie. Long time, no see".

A shinigami. _A fucking shinigami is hovering right there-_ wait, I know this one. It's Zellogi, that one that wears the indian headress with no lips...

But why is he-?

A searing pain suddenly shot through me and I screamed, grabbing my head as images rushed through my brain.

No, not just images- they're _memories_.

After a while, it stopped and my hands dropped limply to my sides.

"_No fucking way_", I gasped.

"But that means... all this time...", I breathed, letting out a bitter sounding laugh,"well I guess that explains why I didn't remember what happened to the lead I put in the door hinge and the way Light's been acting around me...".

It's because he _knows_.

The silence stretched on after that, until finally.

"So... how'd the plan go?", I asked.

The shinigami gave his equivilant of a smirk,"oh it went great, girlie. Just like you said".

* * *

><p>"Zellogi, if I end up going to Aoyama, you know you can't come with me, right?"<p>

"Why noooooot?", the shinigami whined. I scowled, seeing my expression in the mirror. He didn't act this childish in the show, but he knows I hate it from the way I act around Michael - so he only really does it to annoy the shit out of me - Ryuk did it too, the first time we met.

_... fucking shinigami._

I shot him an annoyed look,"it's because the Second has the _Eyes_ - I told you this already. If she sees you following me around, she might mistake me for the real one and then I'd be back under suspicion", I was getting more annoyed with each word,"and then not only would it've wasted a lot of time trying to clear my name, but I'd be back to square one _and the whole damn thing will fall apart!_", I slammed my hands on the bathroom counter.

L gave me some time off until the Second Kira sent a reply, so for last few days I'd gotten some time to do some washing in between working extra hard at the lab to make up for my absence - but if my calculations were correct in correspondance with what I remembered from the show, and I was fairly certain they were, then today I'd get a call to come back to the hotel to look at the diary page.

Sighing, I turned to look back at the bathroom mirror, brushing my hair before continuing in a less irritated tone,"besides, it's not like you're obligated to follow me around or anything, you keep my Note with you and you're lazy enough as it is. I honestly don't see why you even bother half the time".

"It's because I still haven't found out what's up with you and your lifespan, girlie - and the curiousity's killing me!", Zellogi replied, hovering directly over my shoulder in an attempt to irk me.

Doing my best to ignore it and probably failing miserably, I tucked a strand of dark brown hair behind my right ear as I slid the bobby pin in on the left side and slipped on my frameless glasses once I was satisfied with my appearance.

"I know, Zellogi", I sighed, edging around him to get out of the bathroom,"and I've been racking my brain about it for a while, trying to _at least_ come up with a working theory", ignoring my stomach's plight for food, I turned away from the kitchen, instead walking back to my room and over towards my desk.

"At first, I figured it had something to do with how I got here...", I thought out loud, scrolling over the ever-growing list of names on the laptop screen for a few seconds,"but now I'm thinking that maybe it's not just that, but a combination of a few variables".

"What do ya mean?", Zellogi asked, lounging on my bed that was covered in a variety anime plushies I'd bought from Akiba,"and does that mean you finally figured out that whole _'dimensional transition'_ thing you were talking about?", he looked at the ceiling, holding up above him the sole furry teddy bear sitting on the bed.

I cringed for second - I was pretty protective of my teddy bear collection and that one was my oldest one - before turning to face him and leaning against my desk,"_sort of..._", I hedged,"all I've really got about that so far is that I think the transfer itself was a complete accident" I told him,"in other words, I just happened to passing through a weak point between the worlds, which was why I was able to feel Ryuk's presence - but ultimately the whole thing was a one in a _billion_ chance".

"The_ feeling_ itself would've passed eventually and I would never have thought anything else of it...", I made a flippant motion with my hand before returning it to the desk,"but in those brief minutes where the buses, one from each world, temporarily merged, that scrap of the Note hit me in the back of the head, dragging me into this world and anchoring me here - of course, the transition alone wouldn't have affected what I expect you're able to see about my _lifespan_...".

"... it was me showing up that day and giving you a Death Note", Zellogi realized, sitting up, his legs hanging over the side of bed.

I nodded,"that's what I'm thinking, yes. The combination of the transition and prolonged contact with the supernatural, aka you and/or Ryuk, was what made my lifespan unable to settle. The thing that first drew your attention to me, the deal with my numbers always jumping around - it was just High Death still trying to decide which lifespan I would adopt as my own; the me of this world, or my original one. And the fact that I was always hanging out with a death god while not actually owning a Note wasn't exactly helping his decision".

"But you gave in eventually", the shinigami pointed out.

"That was just the only thing that would get to you to go through with the plan!", I protested,"otherwise, I would've never agreed".

Then what I'd theorized must of finally sunk in, because for a while, Zellogi just sat there, thinking, then,"... so does that mean you can't go back, then? _Ever?"_

I paused for a moment, anger now practically non-existent and instead replaced with the depressing reality,"... like I said before, the Event was a one in a billion chance - so no, there's almost no chance at all that I can ever get back".

"... I may be a god of death, girlie, but that's just damn_ depressing..._"

I turned my gaze to look out the window, eyes glazed over in thought as I bit my lip, suddenly wanting this conversation to end.

The 'being able to voice my theories' thing is nice and all, but the conclusions I'm drawing are just fucking drepessing...

As if on cue, my phone rang and I quickly dug a hand into the satchel sitting on my desk before pulling out the purple metallic flip phone and putting it to my ear.

"_Miss Night_", Watari began,"_the second Kira has sent another message for Kira, this time including a diary page as well as a video. Ryuuzaki requests your presence_".

"Got it, I'll be there as soon as I can", I replied, slinging my bag over my shoulder and grabbing an apple from the kitchen fruit bowl as I left.

_And so the battle continues._

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><p><em>End Chapter<em>

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I know I haven't updated in over a week, but I'm kinda swamped with uni stuff at the moment - and though I still managed to write this, it didn't come half as good as I wanted it to.**

**Hope you guys and girls enjoyed reading it anyway.**

**Please continue to Author Alert/Fav, Story Alert/Fave, and/or Review! I really appreciate it!**

**~Milley02**


	8. Blondie in Aoyama

**A/N: Over 1600 hits, 18 reviews, 7 Favs, 12 Alerts! InkheartFirebringer, X-Beyond-B, Wolfsbane-Nin, Lady Blade, ruristorm15, Whisper and elleray16 thanks for your reviews! You're all awesome!**

**... and yes, Raz had to spout that little 'weak spot between two worlds' theory last chapter. I blame it entirely on watching too much of that Stein's Gate anime. Plus I figured, being Raz, she wouldn't just dismiss it and move on..**

**Right. Anyway... so! This chapter is VERY late, I know. A lot of stuff has been happening in my life recently, plus university work, holidays, FAMILY, etc ... so it was delayed.**

**But guess what? Guess what? Guess WHAT? RAZ HAS BEEN DRAWN - that's right, she has picture form! Link is on my profile! XD XD**

**Okay... now I've had that squeal-worthy moment (which I DID NOT squeal at. I did NOT), I'm just gonna shut up, start the chapter, and see what you guys think. That always seems to work well enough.**

**Man, I missed this. Enjoy reading!  
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**Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with the Death Note franchise. If I did, L wouldn't have died.**

**Also, WARNING for liberal swearing, etc.**

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><p><em>Chapter 8 - Blondie in Aoyama<em>

* * *

><p>"Miss Knight, I want you to go with Light and Matsuda to Aoyama"<p>

Oh, you've _got_ to be fucking kidding me.

I was standing over by the wall, away from the others, when L had walked up to me and I had looked up from the diary page that I was still examining. That was when he said it.

_What the fuck, L?_

I narrowed my eyes, trying to stop myself from scowling and probably failing epically "_what-?_ Wait, why?"

"Watari got a rather angry call from your boss today..." L began, biting the tip of his thumb,"it seems that he thinks I'm 'monopolizing your time with pointless consultation' or some such..."

I stared at him, and then, slowly, I blinked.

"... and what, exactly, does that have to do _with me going to Aoyama?_" I asked, trying to keep my voice level "I mean, I've only really been there a few times - I'd be out of my element".

"By putting your analyst skills to work in the field I am hoping to 'get him off our backs' so to speak - at least for the time being".

"..." I continued to stare at him, barely holding back another retort.

_Me thinks she doth protest too much_, my mental voice of reason whispered in my ear.

"... alright, fine" I mumbled, sighing "I'll go - but you owe me for this" I finished, looking at him pointedly.

"For what, exactly?" he asked, looking at me inquiringly.

"For putting me in a situation where I have to hang out with _Light_ for a whole day".

"Ah, yes... though I honestly don't understand why you have such an aversion towards him".

"He's bloody tall" and_ hot_. And _also a **psycopathic mass murderer**._

"And?"

"... and I'm short, Ryuuzaki".

* * *

><p>Did I also mention that this little trip could possibly kill me andor almost certainly lead me to an untimely death?

No? I didn't? Well, now you know.

Yep, this is just fucking _brilliant._

Looking appropriately miffed, I avoided Matsuda's nervous look as I glanced over the menu again, looking through the list of sweets - maybe I could get L something?

One second thought, no. He's the one who's making me wear this blonde wig after all.

The cafe's called 'Kyo Hayashiya', by the way, and I used to come here any time I was in Aoyama with Miyaka - which wasn't often, because she liked Shibuya and Akiba better, for their clothes shopping and anime merchandise, respectively.

And the _cosplaying_, oh _god_ the _cosplaying_...

Anyway. So I liked this cafe for two main reasons; one, the menus are available in _english_ - which is a big deal when it takes you twice as long to read a sentence when it's in kanji. And two, Miyaka has a permanant booking on one of the tables overlooking a traditional japanese garden, and in the distance, a little place called the Note Blue.

Oh no, she didn't?_ Oh yes, I did._

... I also only dragged Matsuda here with me to prevent Light from further humiliating the poor man in front of his university 'friends'. Light's friends are actually really conceited, you know.

And your next question is - why am I leaving Light alone?

Well, the answer to that is simple. I'm not.

Zellogi was so annoying about coming, that I eventually relented and now he's following Light at a distance and when they get in the area, the shinigami's going come see me so I'll know when to go find Light without getting spotted by Misa.

_Yay for strategy~!_

Point 1 to me! Point 3 to... Light... oh, fuck _that_. No more keeping score.

"Um... Night-san?"

I sighed, staring out the window "yes, Matsui-san?"

"Why did we split up from Light, again...?"

I turned to look at him, taking a small bite of my green tea sundae before responding.

"Like I explained to Ryuuzaki" I said, pointing my dessert spoon lazily in his direction "it's to cover more ground".

"But-"

Interrupting him, I turned my gaze outside again "look down the street, Matsui-san - what do you see? This is one of the busiest streets in Aoyama..." both of us were looking now, listening to the hustle and bustle of the people walking up and down the boulevard.

Then Zellogi phased in through the wall behind Matsuda, and my fingers twitched in surprise.

"Hmph" he grunted, obviously unhappy about having to follow Light around all day while I got to sit around and do nothing. I rolled my eyes, smirking slightly. That's what gets for being so bloody annoying at all hours of the night _and_ day.

"Pretty boy is coming this way, should be just up the street in about five minutes, girlie" the shinigami began "... and blondie is still playing dress up in the cafe across from the Blue Note".

I nodded slightly in recognition, having been the one who pointed her out earlier, before pulling out my phone to check the time.

"We should be getting back to Light soon" I began, then looked back at Matsuda as I tucked it back to into my jeans pocket and he went to stand.

"... and where do you think you're going?", I snapped, my stingy side showing "finish your tea, Matsui - I paid for that damn it, so you are going to drink it".

Matsuda quickly sat back down and started drinking his green tea - a little fast - as I began finishing off my green tea sundae.

I sighed. Damn guilty conscious... I'll get him something nice on the way out.

... and L, too, I guess... bastard's lucky I have a conscious...

* * *

><p>Sitting at my desk back at the apartment in my pjs, I hummed out loud to myself as I watched the screen in front of me.<p>

Misa Amane's desktop stared back at me, the mouse moving across the screen as she surfed the internet, looking for information on Tsuki Yagami.

Honestly, it really is too easy to remotely access people's computers these days. _Noobs._

Eventually, after Misa figured out it was 'Light' Yagami instead and got his address too, I decided to go grab something to eat; she wouldn't be doing anything interesting now other then fangirling over Light.

_Ugh._ I shivered.

So I got up, went to the kitchen and starting making myself a toasted cheese sandwich. Man, I love the smell of melted cheese...!

"Uh... girlie?" Zellogi started from the other room "you _might_ wanna come look at this".

Sighing, I left the kitchen, bringing along my melty cheesy sandwich, and went back to my room.

"What?" I snapped "if you've damaged any of my plushies-" I froze, plate falling from my hand.

Typed in the search engine on Misa Amane's computer, was my name.

_My real name._

**_... fuck._**

* * *

><p>Three days after the Aoyama trip, the Task Force were discussing the lack of results so far in the hotel room.<p>

I'd been trying to figure out what I'm going to do Misa, but none of my plans are really helping me with this - this is the _exact_ reason why I didn't want to go to Aoyama, L! _FUCKING DAMN IT!_

Hopefully showing none of this rage on my face, I came back from the kitchen with a tray of coffee, and had just finished handing them out when Watari beeped on the laptop screen.

"Ryuuzaki! Sakura TV have received another message from the second Kira" Watari began "it's postmarked for the 23rd".

Misa's sloppy gothic script appeared on the laptop screen.

_"I was able to find Kira! To everyone at the TV station and the police force - thank you very much!"_

Frozen in my seat, my eyes flickered between Light, L and the screen.

Light looked like his mind was running a kilometer a second, trying to figure it all out.

But L... I couldn't read L at all.

And now I know that he initially considered me a suspect (maybe even still does) and that I was involved in the Aoyama trip - he could be re-evaluating my 'non-suspect' status.

Basically, right now, I have no idea what L is thinking and I'm kind of freaking out about the implications.

Also, as an added more terrifying note, neither do I know what Misa is thinking.

_Fuuuuuuuuuck._

"Does this mean that Kira and the second Kira have joined forces?" Soichiro asked.

"I don't believe so" L began "but we don't know for sure that they've joined forces yet, though the second Kira only said that they'd 'found' Kira - they may have yet to make contact".

And thank god for that, I _really_ have to do something about Misa before she meets Light/Kira.

Then the group started talking about appealing to the Second Kira, and I kinda zoned out.

Because honestly? I was still too busy trying not to freak the fuck out about Misa.

_Misa Amane_ - god, just thinking her name makes me shiver. What am the _hell_ am I gonna do?_ She's knows my fucking name!_ I just _really_ hope she doesn't tell Light...

... otherwise, I'm completely fucked.

And I_ really_ don't want to make any deals with death then I already have. It's really not good for my mental health.

Besides that, she's just going to ignore the police warning anyway - there's no way in hell she would sell Kira/Light out, let alone give up on the search for her savior, god, one true love, or what have you.

I honestly didn't understand why they even did this in the show - political reasons, maybe? To show the public they were actually _doing_ something?

No, that doesn't seem very L... oh wait, now I remember. This is the plot device that gets Misa to go confess to Light.

Speaking of Light and on to a more happy topic - not that I ever thought I'd ever say those two things in the same sentence - it's always nice to see Light mentally corner himself.

Yep, the expressions on his face - or rather, the ones I imagine he would have if he didn't have such a damn good poker face - in result of the defeatist thoughts he's having right now, are just fucking_ hilarious._

To be honest though, there are only two things that are really stopping me from bursting out laughing right now - the fucking scary thoughts that Misa knows my name and L might still suspect me.

Yeah, I'm not liking this at all.

* * *

><p>Leaning against a wall of somebody's house in the Yagami's suburb, staring down at the pavement - and wearing that blonde wig from Aoyama again - was not how I was planning on spending my saturday night.<p>

Hell, I would never plan on spending _any_ night like this, especially to do what I'm about to do... and yet here I am.

In the end, I guess, it was always gonna come to this eventually... I just didn't think it would happen so freaking _soon_, is all.

Although I guess that's kinda my fault for fucking up in Aoyama...

"_Eh?_"

And my gaze darted up to see the gothic lolita blonde I'd been waiting for.

"Hello there, Amane-san"

Phase Two's Plan B is now in effect.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Two months earlier...<em>**

Attempting to refrain from scratching at the dark purple wig I was wearing was difficult, to say the least.

As is sitting in the same secluded booth as Light Yagami with him knowing that I know he's Kira - even if I am in disguise.

The moment Zellogi pointed out the broken lead that was supposed to be wedged in the hinge of my bedroom door, I knew there were cameras in the whole apartment - and I had to make sure that Light knew they were probably at his place too.

To be honest, this whole... '_pretending to co-operate with Kira_' thing, isn't exactly what I imagined I'd ever be doing - you know, me being so anti-kira and all.

But regardless of my feelings toward him, if things are changing from what I know, I need to know about it - and if that means playing both sides... then so be it.

... oh, and Ryuk and Zellogi are outside having a chat - yeah, the implications disturb me too.

But I've already been bribing Ryuk with apples not to tell Light about my lifespan thing for a while now, so mostly I'm not really worried.

Mostly.

"So what, exactly, was your reason for wanting to meet up in person?" Light began, glancing up from his coffee. Coffee he hadn't touched.

Ignoring him for a second, I sipped my own beverage, before answering "because a certain somebody has bugged my apartment - and probably your place too. So the way we usually communicate is no longer adequately safe".

"Somebody hack your 'perfect algorithm', did they?" Light shot, smirking.

My left eye twitched. _Bastard._

"As a matter of fact, _yes_, yes they _did_" I replied, trying to keep my temper in check and voice level "I might be more adept with computers then your average hacker, but I'm not a computer genius, you know Light-san"

"I noticed"

Fuck you, Light.

"... now we'll just have to meet up here every once in a while, after all you and I do come here often, you know" I continued.

"What? No schedule" he asked, smirking again.

FUCK YOU AND YOUR HIGH AND MIGHTY, SELF-ABSORBED, GOD BULLSHIT, LIGHT FUCKING YAGAMI. _I FINISHED HIGH SCHOOL THREE YEARS BEFORE YOU DID_.

"_No_" I ground out "because despite what you may think, Light-san, I'm not a total imbecile, you know"

He nodded himself, as if he was considering it.

_Fucking bastard's mocking me._

God,_ why_ am I doing this to myself-?

Oh yeah... so I can bring Light/Kira to justice and, consequently, save L and a lot of innocent people.

Because no one human - or any human at all - should have the power of a god. Let alone a death god.

Right.

"Now just try not to get your panties in a wad, okay Light-san? Everything'll work, you know?" then I got up from booth and started walking away.

"Wait, what about meeting times?" Light asked, turning in his seat.

"Same time next week, thursday afternoon - if I don't show, it's means I either got something to go right - or, you know, I'm working"

"No, 'I got caught' option there?"

"Are you fucking kidding me?" then I turned around and kept on going.

He just glared at my back as I walked off, beverage in hand.

_Oooooh_, pissing off Light's fun - in evidence is the grin I've got going on - but I probably shouldn't do it every time we meet like this...

Ah, well.

The door bell jingled as I left the coffee shop "come on, Zell, I've gotta get going before Miyaka tries hunting me down - see ya, Ryuk"

"Bye, fruit loops"

_... fucking shinigami._

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><p><em>End Chapter<em>

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><p><strong>AN: I know I haven't updated in FOREVER, but life - and family - kind of got in the way. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed reading the chapter!**

**I don't know when the next update'll come; could be tomorrow, could be next week - or anywhere in between. Who knows, just keep a look out and you'll see it soon.**

**Please continue to Author Alert/Fav, Story Alert/Fave, and/or Review! I LOVE IT WHEN YOU DO!**

**Virtual cookies to all who review~!**

**~Milley02**


	9. L,Did You Know Shinigami Only Eat Apples

**A/N: Okay! I'm back~! We're flashing backwards again, right to the beginning (sort of). Don't worry though, I'm not going to rewrite the entire story so far with her new memories, it'll just be bits here and there... that may take up entire chapters. Yeah...**

**This will explain some of the discrepancies though, like how there was meant to be three/four days between the bus incident and Ray Penber's death, and how she doesn't remember where she was during the epic tennis match between L and Light.**

**Because up until now, we've been viewing the story from Raz-without-a-Death-Note POV. Now, it's Raz _WITH_ a Death Note - so expect more action as she's more direct and will be making some big moves.**

**A moment to thank everyone who reviewed, faved and alerted so far; bored411, C'est La Vie Mon Amour, Eryn Goddess of Chaos, InkheartFirebringer, irenia, JanJan L-chan, kitsune light, Lady Blade, Mangafreak666, Mr. Jay black, Renrinrin, Wolfsbane-Nin, xGrellSutcliffx, xXSadistic BitchXx, Backup-Deatheater235, Cookie Krisp, Darinenelle, JustBeYou, One of Yesterday, theawsomesarah, x-Beyond-B, Alternateapocalypse, elleray16, Whisper, and ruristorm15 !**

**You're all _awesome!_**

**Remember: reviewing, faving and/or alerting makes me write faster! (The hit counter for this story recently hit 4000 and yet I still see 22 on the review counter - what's up with _that?_)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with the Death Note franchise. If I did, L wouldn't have died.  
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**WARNING: for liberal swearing, descriptions of death, horror, and definite consorting with the enemy.**

**The established 'present' timeline is four and half months after the bus hijacking.**

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><p><em>Chapter 9 - L, Did You Know? Shinigami Only Eat Apples<em>

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><p><em><strong>Four months ago...<strong>_

_I **hate** quiet._

_No, wait. I just hate **this** quiet._

_My dreams have been getting weird lately, ever since I got to this world where Shinigami and Death Notes exist._

_Every night, I would go to the same place - that thing in the anime where L and Light stand on buildings and are tinged blue and red? Yeah, that._

_'Cept I was tinged purple._

_The whole was a just an image generated from my subconscious anyway, so it had no real world significance..._

_... that doesn't stop me from dreaming it though.  
><em>

_Nothing much really happens, most of time we just sit/stand there with the two being childish and throwing insults at each other (not really, but I can dream)... until something plot-related happens._

_Then the scenery changes and someone actually fucking **says** something._

_This time was quiet - right up until I was about to wake up._

_Then Light said four words..._

_**"Ray Penber must die"** ... or something._

_My response was obvious._

_Game on, you psycotic sunvabitch._

* * *

><p>I flicked through the magazine in the train station newsagents.<p>

It took me_ three _fucking days. _Three_. To find the right train station - and that's because I completely forgot what it was fucking called from when I watched the anime last.

Stupid memory.

Anyways, so yep, flicking through a magazine - Jump Square if you must know.

I was wearing a blonde wig, and a blue and white high school uniform Miyaka bought me for a cosplay ages ago, the skirt coming up to just above my knees, a beige overcoat and dark checkered scarf around my neck.

But while it would help me fit with the crowd, it would leave my face very open, so I'd brought along my sister's dark aviator sunglasses - I figured it would do the trick of hiding my identity from the security cameras nicely.

Suddenly, I spotted Ray Penber out of the corner of my eye.

My fingers twitched and my head jerked slightly in that direction as my eyes followed him.

I dropped the magazine back into the display shelf and left the newsagent, consciously forcing my pace to slow down. To appear _natural_.

I walked over to the coffee shop and ordered a latte. _God_ knows how long it'll take Light to show up, and I was thirsty anyway so I might as well do something productive...

And then there he was.

_Light fucking Yagami._

The fucking _Kira_, in the flesh.

I didn't even _see_ the little fucker until he was right behind Ray, the two just standing there in the middle of the moving crowd.

Ryuk was right behind him too, in case you wanted to know.

He was glancing curiously at Zellogi - the bastard had insisted he come, and he is _really_ fucking annoying when he wants to be, honestly - while I was ignoring both of them.

I was too focused on _them._

It was not my first mistake that afternoon, nor would it be my last.

I didn't realize it until the guy cleaning the entrance was already clutching at his chest, dying of a heart attack.

Damn. Now he'll draw attention this way.

So I had to wait. As Light bustled Ray off to the train. Just fucking _great._

I tapped my foot impatiently, nervously sipping at my latte. At this rate I'd fucking lose them!

Once they cleared the strip and went down the stairs, I threw the half finished drink in trash can and took off at a fast walk.

Yamanote, Yamanote, _Yamanote..._

I got to the platform, my breathing just short of panting, looking around for Ray and Light.

_Damn it!_ Come _on!_

Finally, I saw them getting on the east bound Yamanote line. I managed to get on at the last second, taking a seat at the opposite end of the carriage from Ray.

I sat my bag on the seat next to me, opposite the side Ray was one, and stuck my hand inside, feeling around for my transceiver.

_There!_

I slipped the buds in my ears as casually as I could, though my hands were shaking, and then switched on the scanner.

It was deceptively easy. Light just wasn't expecting anyone else to be listening in - or, ya know, following him when he went to buy the two-way hand held radio.

Shame on him, I honestly expected more. I mean, he's fucking _Kira_ for fuck's sake.

Light's voice came over the transceiver.

_"... open your laptop. Your boss will send you a file soon. A file that will contain all the names and faces of all the agents sent to Japan"_

Keep your head turned forward, girl.

_"Now, like before, look at the photograph of each agent and then write his or her name into one of the slots"_

Don't do anything stupid.

_'But he's writing the names!'_ My conscious had to argue.

_"Looks like you're done"_

I glanced over in surprise.

_Already?_

_"Put all the envelopes together with the transceiver back into the larger envelope, place it on the overhead rack"_

There's nothing I can do.

_"Then sit back down and stay on this train for at least another 30 minutes with your hands on your lap"_

It's not even why I'm bloody here.

_"After at least 30 minutes have passed..."_

But I still feel so fucking _guilty._

_"... when no one has noticed that you left the envelope behind..."_

Guilty that I'm not doing a fucking _thing_ to save them.

_"... then get off the train"_

At 4:41PM, the Yamanote train line pulled into a station.

FBI Agent and fiance Ray Penber stepped off the train and on to the platform, his thoughts racing as he tried to figure out Kira's identity.

He froze, dropped his suitcase, then keeled over, clutching his chest.

I clenched my hands together, nails digging into my palms.

Falling to his knees, he gasped for air, eyes wide in fear as he struggled to turn around. To _see_ Kira.

I stood up from my seat, one hand clutching a support pole.

The train doors began to close.

I walked down the aisle, Light already standing just inside the automatic doors.

I stopped, just behind him, and forced myself to look down at the fallen FBI agent.

Forcing myself to show no emotion.

The _plan_. Just remember_ the fucking plan!_

"Goodbye, Ray Penber"

I'm sorry Ray Penber... but you were already dead.

He looked up at Light, eyes wide in shock this time.

Then he caught my eyes.

He croaked something unintelligible.

I tried desperately not to cry.

_No, d_amn it. You will_ not_ fucking cry!

This is the fucking moment of truth!

_The plan depends on it!_

Then the life faded from his bright blue eyes and he slumped to ground just as the doors completely closed.

And when Light turned around to face me, a curious expression fighting with the victorious grin on his face, I was still staring at the door.

Staring at the last place I'd seen another man die.

I looked _another_ man in the eyes right before he died.

... it just never gets any fucking easier, does it?

_I think I'm going to be sick._

* * *

><p>Security tapes piled high in stacks lay haphazardly around the darkened room, lit only by the static of three box-like television sets.<p>

The Task Force had just finished reviewing all the security camera footage that happened to catch the deaths of the FBI agents that died in Japan.

Having stayed awake for the last two days to do this, even while taking it in shifts, those who were in the room at the time - namely Matsuda, Yagami and Aizawa - were sleep deprived and running on the fumes of the energy from their last cup of coffee.

L, however, looked just like he always did. Wide awake and focused as he sat on the lounge with his knees drawn up, eating an ice cream.

"Can you play back the parts where Ray Penber goes through the turnstile, where he get's on the train, and where he dies? I would like to see those again - and next to each other please"

Aizawa sighed, but retrieved the tapes with helpful direction from Matsuda.

"_Umm..._" Matsuda began reading the tape report, exhaustion drawing at his face "Ray Penber enters Shinjuku train station from the west entrance at 15:11"

"He got on the train at 15:13... even if he was shadowing someone at the time, this image is not clear enough to figure out who it might be..."

"... and at 16:42" here, he paused as Watari began handing out ice creams to the Task Force members. Aizawa stared after them hungrily until he too was give one.

L looked annoyed at the interruption, but let it pass.

"... and at 16:42, he dies at Tokyo station" Matsuda finished.

"I knew something was strange" L commented.

He was immediately questioned by the Task Force.

"_Eh?_"

"What's strange, L?"

"Did you figure something out?"

L took his time, taking another bite of his ice cream, before responding.

"According to that, it means that Ray Penber rode one the one hour Yamanote line for an hour and a half... and then there is the envelope"

"Envelope?" Aizawa asked.

In answer, L rewound the video tape, showing Ray Penber going through the turnstile, holding an envelope.

Aizawa was impressed that L notice, and Yagami pulled out a coroner's report to say that no envelope was found on Ray Penber's body.

"Which would mean he left it on the train... and then there's the last image of Penber..."

L rewound the tape of Ray's death again "... to me it looks like he is desperately trying to look into the train"

"And if he is, is that some kind of clue?" Yagami asked.

"Wouldn't it be interesting if Kira was in there?" L mused.

"But that's impossible!"

"I agree" L continued, looking back at the screen "it is not likely. If Kira can murder from afar, why would he bother going there? Still... he might have figured that is what we would think that and took the risk of coming out in the open..."

L's gaze slid over the screens again, his eye catching on the last.

It showed an image of a blonde-haired girl rushing through the turnstiles just after Ray Penber went through.

At first glance, one would not think anything of it.

But L rewound the tape of Penber's death once more, playing it from when the train pulled into the station.

_And there she was again._

Still on the train, and moving towards the back of the carriage.

_Interesting._

* * *

><p><em><strong>Two months earlier...<strong>_

Another week at the university._ Yaaaaaaaaaay..._

I was working in the student labs today with some students from the graduate school helping me out - a couple of the third years were being uncooperative because of my age.

I called a lunch break around noon when I began developing a headache.

Fucking ungrateful _bastards!_ Granted, I'm getting paid to do this - but still! I could be the lab back in Shibuya right now, but instead I'm over here helping them with their fucking student lab work!

_Bloody ungratefu-!_

"Eeeehh? They're _what?_"

"Hideki-san and Yagami-san are_ fighting!_"

"No, they're not Yoko-chan! They just playing tennis!"

My eyes widened. That's happening _now?_

"Perfect timing, girlie"

I froze. Oh _god_, when will I fucking get _used_ to that?

I turned away from the shinigami and started walking.

"Go get him, I'll meet you in the trees by the math block"

"Gotcha" Zellogi flew off, his native american headress flailing in the wind.

_Time to say hello._

Five minutes later, they _finally_ showed up.

"... so what do ya want?" a voice drawled.

"Just follow me would ya? I promise she'll be worth it" that was Zellogi.

"Who's 'she'?"

Okay. Here goes nothing.

"Hi there Ryuk" I began, a sadistic grin slipping on to my face as I turned around to face him "how's it going hanging around with the pretty boy?"

Ryuk stopped and stared, yellow eyes boring into me.

It was _really_ fucking uncomfortable, I'm telling you now.

_'Remember the damn plan, woman.'_

Right.

"I hear you like apples?" I hefted a bag of about eight or so apples in a plastic shopping bag.

Ryuk perked up instantly, a grin stretching the light gray almost blue-ish skin on his face.

Without a word, I took one out and then handed him the bag.

When he finished, sucking the juice off his fingers too and was eyeing the remaining apply in my hand, I began plan 'Use the Shinigami to Spy on Light'.

... shut up. I'm not very good at naming things, okay?

"... so what's the catch?"

I raised an eyebrow... smart shinigami. He's been hanging out with Light too much.

"Never mention anything about me or Zellogi to Light and I'll bring you more of these every week - with interest too, but _only_ if you tell me what the pretty boy's been up to" I finished, holding a chiding index finger up, my expression stern.

He reached for the last apple.

"Ah, ah, ah" I chided, pulling the fruit out of his reach.

He pouted.

"_Ryuk.._." Zellogi began.

"Fine..." Ryuk relented.

I grinned and threw him the apple.

"Humans are so _interesting!_" he chuckled, biting in to the last apple.

* * *

><p><em>Chapter End<em>

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hey all~! I know I haven't updated in _forever_, but life - and family - kind of got in the way. But I hope you all enjoyed reading the chapter!**

**With how busy my life is becoming lately, I don't think I'll ever know for sure when the next update'll come; could be tomorrow, could be next week - or anywhere in between. Who knows, just keep a look out and you'll see it soon.**

**Please continue to Author Alert/Fav, Story Alert/Fav, and/or Review! I LOVE IT WHEN YOU DO _and it really does make me write faster!_  
><strong>

**Virtual cookies to all who review~!**

**~Milley02**


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